The Revenge of Love
by DracoAura
Summary: Aura was long ago banished to Midgard, but it wasn't until the 1900s that she became the government's secret and locked away for as long as she'll be able to tell. Enter the past ten years of events from the Avengers, and things drastically change for her and the world. Especially when her beloved finally finds her. Love's revenge never tasted so good. (Loki x OC)
1. Chapter 1

_**1940s [Year Left Unspecified]**_

 _ **United States [Exact Location Left Unspecified]**_

"Do you know why you're here?"

Aura squinted at the sudden white light, everything a painful haze. Her breath suddenly visible, leaving her parted, blue-tinted lips. She shivered compulsively. The events leading to her current situation unregistering. Where was she? How did she get here?

Her lungs burned. Icicles grew within them and the back of her throat. She coughed, thinking about her thinning esophagus. What she assumed was a figure before her hadn't moved. Was this all in her head? She blinked. "Are you this country's government?"

The woman silhouetted in the doorway of the cold cell room crossed her arms. British accent filling the small space. "I am a part of it, yes. You're in a secure underground facility run by the S.S.R., the Strategic Scientific Reserve. Do you know why you're here?"

Tears of exhaustion welled up, but they instantly froze before leaving her eyelids. Now the icicles pierced into her eyes. "Is it because I'm different? Do you know I'm different?"

"Yes. I would like to interview you for my own personal records. Will you allow me to interview you? Only I and a few other people would have access to it."

She nodded. Anything to get her out of this freezing cell. She couldn't take the cold. Couldn't handle the isolation. She didn't know how long she had been in this place. Lost track of all time. Her current dwellings were constantly dim; there was no way to tell day from night.

The woman entered with clicking heels and freed the captive from her bonds. "Will we have any unnecessary circumstances?"

"No. I won't flee. I won't attack anyone. I have no desire to hurt people. Please believe me."

"Very well. Follow me, please."

Aura rose from her bed, her hands still cuffed in front of her. She left her gaze lowered. Encased in front of her, really. These weren't the normal restraints she had seen before. They encompassed her whole hands and constantly kept them frozen. She had lost feeling in them altogether. Unable to tell if her fingers were wiggling on command.

She followed the woman out of her cell. Her deep blue eyes finally adjusted to the light she wasn't accustomed to. The narrow hallway they walked through had turned yellowed over the years and felt about as warm as the room she left. Then she was led to a new room where a metal table with a single metal chair awaited. She didn't need to be told to sit.

The woman stood on the other side of the table.

Aura dared sneak a peek at her. The other female held herself with authority, but she didn't seem heartless. In fact, the woman looked quite beautiful with her dark hair and bright red lips. However, she knew looks could be deceiving. In both good and bad ways.

"Shall we begin?" the woman asked. Upon receiving a nod of affirmation, she pressed a button on a recording device. "Let's start with your name."

Her sight returned to the silver table. Limbs pressed against herself for warmth. She couldn't tell if this interview room was cold, too, or if she needed much more time to thaw out. But the sudden need to answer questions sent her into a panic. "M-my name is A-Aura."

"Is Aura your full name?"

"Yes. I don't know who my parents are, and the palace never gave me a surname. It wasn't required for my line of work.

The woman remained silent for a moment. Obtained a hidden chair from the corner. Sitting down, she smoothed her pencil skirt. "My name is Agent Peggy Carter. Do you know where you are?"

"Last I knew, I was in the United States of America. Am I still?"

"Yes, but I can't tell you where, exactly. Can you tell me where you're from?"

Her eyes slightly lifted, but she didn't look up for long. "I'm not sure if you've heard of it. It's a place called Asgard, one of the Nine Realms. Midgard—or as I've come to refer to it as Earth—is another one of Realms."

"And how long have you been in the United States?"

Aura's brows furrowed in thought. "The people brought me over here from Europe during the witch trials. Time passes differently here. I'm not sure how long ago that was."

"That was the 1690s, a little over 200 years ago. Do you know what people?"

She shook her head, fresh tears forming. Reliving the memories as if the events transpired yesterday. Her tiny frame trembled. "They were always dressed in black, and I never knew their names. They made me burn the people they claimed to be witches. Said my fire was the only one that could burn their unholy magic. I didn't…I didn't want to do it. But they killed children if I didn't. Why children?"

Agent Carter's jaw set. She looked off to the side then placed a hand on Aura's arm. "Cruel people have no regard for life, and they will use other people's care for life as leverage."

Her body shuddered more than it already was. Weeping harder. "All those people. None of them I saw actually did anything wrong. What the ordering people claimed was magic is not magic. There was one woman who was saving her son's life, but because she used herbs and roots, they dragged her out of her home. I had to burn both of them. They said the son would resort to witchcraft if left alive."

"Those were ruthless times, and there will always be those types of events. History will always repeat itself, just in different formats. Do you know why you're truly here?"

Aura sniffed, lifting her head. Her eyes were red and pleading. "No. I don't know. I don't know what I did wrong. I haven't hurt anyone since then, I swear my life to you."

Agent Carter's expression softened. "It's not because you've done something wrong. I know it's hard to believe this, but you're here for your protection, just as much as everyone else's. There are terrorist organizations who would do anything to get their hands on you if they knew about you. They would turn you and your abilities into weapons that could destroy entire nations. We have you here to keep you from them."

"Then why do I have to be cold?"

"I'm sorry, but that order comes from someone in a much higher position than I am in. Like the people who made you do terrible things, there are those who are afraid of things they don't understand. You are someone they don't understand. They see your abilities, and they see you as a threat. They think they're protecting themselves."

Aura's eyes lowered again. "I understand. I won't complain about it anymore. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for. It's a completely valid question. Can I ask you another question?"

"Yes. If that's what you need to do. I don't mind."

"How long have you been on Earth? Why are you here? What did you call it? Midgard?"

She nodded. "Midgard, yes." She took a deep breath and winced. The ice needles in her lungs hadn't dissolved yet. "I came here during the times of castles and royalty. I think you call it the medieval times now. And…and I'm here because I was banished from Asgard."

Agent Carter's brows knotted. "You were banished? What did you do?"

Another round of sobbing overcame her. "I was loved."

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand."

Her words came through broken cries. "Somebody loved me, and Odin hated it, so he threatened to kill me, but Queen Frigga managed to convince him to let me live. He didn't want me on Asgard anymore, so he made Heimdall send me here."

Silence filled the room, save for the soft whirr of the recording tape and Aura's weeping.

Agent Carter gave her a quick squeeze and shut off the recorder. "I think that's enough for today. I didn't mean to upset you. Come on. Let's get you back into your room."

She bit her lip. Looked over her shoulder at the door they would have to walk through as if it would come and attack her. She didn't want to have to go back into "her" room. She knew why they called it her room, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a tad ungrateful. There was nothing in it to call her own. And it was cold. So much cold.

"Let's go, Aura. I promise you I will do my best to get you different accommodations."

A nod. That was all her fading heart could muster. She followed Agent Carter back to her cell, as it should be appropriately called. Allowed herself to be chained back to her bed. Which she curled up on with a heavy sigh. Trying to keep herself as warm as possible. Watched the door close and plunge her back into darkness.

She didn't blame this Agent Carter woman for her misfortunate situation. From the brief times they interacted with each other, she could tell the woman's heart was pure. But even the best of them had to follow orders given by people who weren't so kind. She knew that all too well.

Shivering started again and her breathing already began shallowing. Her position in Asgard's palace wasn't one to be envious of. In fact, her position was considered the lowest of the low, not even a position, but she would trade almost anything to have that life back. Even though having her old life back would mean dealing the terrifying guard who left scars on her.

Subconsciously, she pressed her thighs together. He never reached the part where he touched her in an inappropriate way, but his crazed slashing left its mark on her right arm, legs, and back. She had never been so thankful for the guards' roll call in all her life.

She didn't know what happened to him. A short time later, he disappeared. Was never heard from. His wife and child were heartbroken, and she felt bad for them, but she almost didn't care what happened to the guard. Almost.

Her mind hazed over before she could imagine what happened to him. Vision blurring. But not with tears. Mercifully, not with the ice barbs. She could feel her senses slipping from her. She had never been this cold before. Was this what normally happened? Everything becoming desensitized while painfully heightening at the same time?

Aura's eyes closed, unable to form the strength to keep them open. All she could do was wait until something resembling a new day came. She knew they wouldn't kill her; she wouldn't die in her sleep. At this point, she wondered which was worse.

She hoped they would have more questions for her. And she would try not to break down again. Just so she could stay outside of her cell longer. Her eyes opened slightly, able to see the outline of her bed. Was this really her new life now?


	2. Chapter 2

The creak of the door didn't wake her. Nor did the shaft of bright light. It wasn't until someone gently shook her shoulder that Aura stirred. It took her a long time to lift her stiff eyelids. Then she startled at the figure knelt by her.

"It's Peggy," a familiar British accent assured.

Aura calmed, sinking back into the frigid bed.

"Do you think you can do another interview today?"

"Uh-huh," came her weak reply. She tried pushing herself up, but the inky cold had sucked her strength away.

"We're wasting time, Agent Carter." A new, harsh male voice.

The Asgardian winced and curled into herself even further.

Peggy helped her into a sitting position, speaking with a calm demeanor. "Aura, I would like you to meet Colonel—"

"Just, the Colonel," the man replied. "I don't need you to become familiar with me."

Aura squinted. Everything was a giant blur. She tried speaking, but only a strained whine came from her throat. It seemed the cold took more than her strength away.

Agent Carter thinned her bright red lips. Looked toward the Colonel. "We need to warm her up before she can properly respond to your questions."

The Colonel's broad frame left the doorway. "Bring A-001 now. I will not coddle prisoners."

Peggy sighed. "Be brave," she whispered as she helped the young woman to her feet. Catching her when she instantly collapsed. "Can you feel anything?"

Aura shook her head, which immediately went limp when it finished with its movements.

"It's okay. I'll assist you. But I also must warn you. The Colonel has little patience, and he'll most likely drill you with questions you won't know the answer to. Accuse you of being things you're not. Let him carry out his business, and he'll leave."

The Asgardian attempted having some control over her limbs, but she had none. She absolutely couldn't feel anything. Couldn't even feel pain. She didn't know if she was actually alive or simply a waning consciousness in an already dead body. But she tried for the Agent Carter woman.

Peggy limped her into the interrogation room and sat her down in the metal chair bolted to the floor. However, she stayed by her side instead of moving to the opposite of the table.

"H-how long?" Aura strained, slumped over in the chair.

"Four days since I last saw you."

"…four?"

"Yes. Have they not been allowing you out of your room twice a day for restroom privileges? Or feeding you during the designated times?"

"I don't, I don't know."

Agent Carter looked to her superior.

The Colonel crossed his arms. "Why should I care if she's able to keep track of the days or not? It seems she has her voice back, so we'll begin." He picked up the only other chair, twisted it around, and planted himself on it backwards. Watching the girl intently. "Hit the button, Carter."

Peggy's brows lifted slightly, but she did as she was told to keep the man calm.

The whir of the tape recorder filled the silence.

Aura perked up slightly. However, her eyelids and body remained heavy. Everything remained numb. Her mind barely functioned, but she promised herself to do her best. She didn't want the nice Peggy to get in trouble with this stone-faced man.

The Colonel pressed his fingers together. "You said in your first interview you're from a place called Asgard. You're not the first alien we've encountered, but you're the first…Asgardian? Tell me what Asgard is like."

She barely nodded. "Big. Flat. The w-waters run off in great falls. Palace…in the center, tall and gold."

"Palace? So you have a royal monarch who rules?"

More faint nodding. "Odin."

The Colonel leaned forward. "Tell me more about this Odin."

"Tall. One eyed. Father, husband."

His upper lip curled in disdain. "Those aren't the answers I'm looking for. Tell me about his ruling style. Tell me about the military he presides over."

"I do not, I do not know."

"If you're from this place, then you have to know. How big are the forces?"

She fell into a coughing fit, and it took her some time before she could recover. "Many soldiers."

He ran his hands over his face. Volume starting to rise. "That's not good enough. Tell me how big the forces are. Is your Odin quick to war? Is he not?"

"I don't know."

"You have to know!" The Colonel slammed his fist down onto the table, not caring that Agent Carter placed an arm in front of the prisoner to intervene. "You were in the palace, right? You have to know."

Aura startled. But she was too numb to do anything correct about it. In her unintentional flailing, she fell off the chair and onto the cement floor. Tears forming. Actual tears welling in her eyes.

Peggy moved to help her while addressing the Colonel. "Don't you—"

"Agent Carter, stand down," the man roared as he rounded the table. He picked the Asgardian up by a handful of hair. Ignoring his militia underling. "What are you? Some kind of spy? An information agent sent here to learn about us and send back your findings to this Odin? Why aren't you telling me what you know?"

Aura's chin quivered while she struggled against the man's grasp. There wasn't much she could do with her hands still in the strange cuffs in front of her. Her scalp feeling like it was about to rip off at any moment. There. There was the pain. She was thawing out. "P-please. You must…you must believe me."

He threw her back to the ground. "No, I don't. Humor me, though. Tell me why I should believe you."

She moved to her hands and knees, keeping her head down in the lowest form of submission the palace taught her. The waterfall of tears leaking down her cheeks and pattering against the floor. "I-I was but a servant in the palace. I knew n-nothing. Know nothing."

"Am I supposed to believe you? How do I know this isn't all a ruse?" The Colonel reached back a large hand, ready to strike, but somebody caught it. His widened steel eyes looked up.

Agent Peggy Carter had a hold on his fist. Her expression equally as stern. "Treating her this way will not make her answer you with what you want to hear."

The broad-shouldered man snarled. "And you believe her, don't you? Just because she's a little girl."

"I do believe her, yes. But not because she's a little girl. In fact, I'm sure she's at an age you and I cannot even comprehend. I believe her because the signs of the truth are all there. Look at her mentality. That's how she's been since she's got here. There's video evidence to prove it. Look at the scars on her arm; she's been treated like a burden animal. Under her jumpsuit, there are more. I've seen them myself because I helped her put it on."

He remained silent.

Peggy grabbed a hold of his thumb and slightly bent it back. "I do not care if you're my superior. You are not a human being if you continue treating her this way. And if you do, I will consider you a threat because we don't know the full extent of her powers. Pushed too far, she might explode like an atom bomb, and frankly, I don't think the death of hundreds, possibly thousands of people on your hands, do you? Sir."

The Colonel looked off to the side. His jaw setting and unsetting. "Release me. I'll let you finish the interview, and you can play me the results later. I'll go check on Stark."

Agent Carter subtly smirked as she let the man go. Typical British sarcasm hanging off every word she spoke next. "Sir, have I ever told you how great you are with making decisions?"

"Don't," he held up a hand, pushing himself to his feet, "patronize me." Without acknowledging the Asgardian further, he straightened his green military jacket and left the room.

The door's slam echoed through the room and hall.

Peggy knelt and gently took one of the other woman's arms.

Aura instinctively flinched. A new round of tears flowing. She waited. Waited to be beaten for not providing what was asked of her. Waited to be thrashed for speaking out of line. She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll be better next time. I swear my life to you."

"It's okay. Calm yourself. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm just going to help you back in the chair now. A pretty girl like you shouldn't be on the floor."

She dared lifting her head. "You think," her eyes darted around. "You think I'm pretty?"

Agent Carter nodded. "Of course." Once she got Aura in the chair, she took her place across the table. "Have you looked at yourself? You're elegantly long and thing, but you're not too tall. Most girls would dream to have a figure like yours."

Her brows knitted, and she looked down at herself. "It's because I've hardly ever eaten. The palace never allotted me much food, and the tradition stuck when I came here. But that might also be because I'm half light elf."

Agent Carter's expression blanked. She glanced at the tape, which was still recording. "Come again?"

"I'm…half light elf?"

She offered a smile. "Well, that would also explain your cute, little pointed ears. And what about your hair? Is that because you're an elf?"

Aura relaxed. She didn't have total feeling back in her body, but she could tell she had been tense. Agent Carter was trying to make her feel at ease. Although, she couldn't help being embarrassed by being called pretty and cute. No one had ever told her those things before. Well. Almost no one.

Before she could lose herself in the thoughts of her beloved, she focused on the other woman's question. Looked down at the ends of her hair falling to her waist. At the top, it was platinum blonde, but by the middle of her hair, it faded into orange. And finally, the orange faded into brilliant red. "No. Well, the lightest part of it is. I'm not sure which one of my parents was a light elf. I only know because Queen Frigga told me so, and she's a light elf, so she would know. I think the orange and red are from my fire abilities."

"I know you said you were but a servant, but you mention Frigga with her official title, as opposed to when you mention Odin without his official title. Were you close to her in any kind of way?"

Aura allowed a small smile. "She had her handmaidens raise me. Even if I technically wasn't allowed to serve under her, she tried to keep an eye out on me."

Agent Carter's expression warmed. "Queen Frigga sounds very nice. I do have one question regarding Odin. Is he the one who encourages having servants?"

Suddenly quieting, she lowered her gaze. Nodded.

Peggy searched the young woman for a few moments then patted her arm. "Okay. I think that's enough for today. I apologize for the Colonel. I honestly tried to keep him from coming here because I knew he would be like that, but he never listens to what I have to say."

The Asgardian attempted a shrug of one shoulder. The volume of her voice dropped considerably. "It's okay."

"No it's not. That type of behavior should not be tolerated, no matter who it's directed at. But don't worry. We women will stick together."

Aura looked up, nodding. Followed the other back to her bitter solitary.


	3. Chapter 3

This time, the squeal of the old, metal door startled Aura awake. Despite her insane lethargy, her encounter with the Colonel had left her paranoid and frightened. Her body could do nothing but sleep, yes, but her senses were a tad more alert than previously.

And she had noticed she was allowed out of her room twice for restroom privileges and fed on some kind of schedule. She still couldn't tell the time. However, she now had a small semblance of days.

It had been three days since she last saw Agent Peggy Carter.

There was only one guard who interacted with her. He wasn't much for conversation. In fact, he never looked at her, keeping his sight above her head. She assumed this was protocol, but she also had no idea what was going on. Even though Agent Carter told her she was in this place for protection, she felt more and more like a captive.

She had no choice over anything, and she was still locked in the freezing room. While she could be naïve at times, she knew her imprisonment was for everyone else's protection. Otherwise, she would be able to roam the facility freely.

"Good morning, Aura."

Her cuffed hands attempted blocking out the light as best as possible. The voice was a man's she had never heard before. Somewhat self-assured but not inherently menacing.

The man approached the bedside, unlocking the restraints from around her feet that kept her tied to the bed. Helped her sit up. "Peggy is on a mission right now, so I've been instructed to take care of you this time. My name is Howard Stark."

Aura's vision adjusted slightly, and she saw the dark haired man with a thin mustache. "H-hello."

Stark lifted her to her feet. "Can you walk?"

She looked down at her legs. Her pale skin had tinted blue and swollen. Not to mention, she still couldn't feel anything. She shook her head.

"That's okay. I think I can carry you." He slid an arm under her knees and shoulders. Picked her up with ease. "See? Not a problem at all."

Aura discreetly searched him. From what she could tell, he was well-dressed. And he smelled nice. Could she trust him, though? She didn't know who would actually be her friend here. He seemed okay. For now, at least, he seemed okay. She was too exhausted to think otherwise.

Howard carried her down the yellowed corridor, past the interview room. He turned a couple of corners, and they entered a wider hallway.

Part of the wall became glass.

Her eyes travelled to it, and she could see an operation table through another viewing room, surrounded by a bunch of equipment with dormant lights. She couldn't help but press against the man holding her. Suddenly afraid of what was going to happen to her.

He took her past the original experimentation chambers. Carried her into a room further down the hall and sat her on a bench not too far from the door. "We're going to get you warmed up, okay?" Procuring another key from inside his suit jacket, he took the casing off her hands.

Aura's chin quivered a bit. Her fingers were faded blue, her nails completely black. She couldn't feel them, but they shook uncontrollably and remained stiff. Her eyes lifted to the man in front of her. "What's going…to happen to me?"

His gaze softened. "We're going to warm you up, and you're just going to demonstrate your powers, okay? No big deal. But you won't be cold anymore."

She nodded. Refusing to look at him. Or her frostbitten fingers.

Stark knelt down and tried searching for her gaze. "I'm a friend of Peggy's. I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to see what you can do. Can you tell me about your abilities? Were they given to you, or were you born with them?"

Her deep blue eyes returned to him. "I was born with them. I didn't know about my fire powers until later, but I've always had my healing."

His eyebrows lifted. "Healing? Like if someone is hurt, you can heal them?"

She nodded. "I like healing people. I don't like using my fire so much."

"Okay." He slowly nodded, a grin appearing on his face. Then he motioned toward her hands. "Can you heal yourself?"

"No."

"Oh, really?"

Aura glanced off to the side. "Queen Frigga said it's my selfless nature that keeps me from healing myself, but I just don't think I'm powerful enough. I can't heal potions or poisons or scars, either. I'm usually useless."

Howard held up a hand. "If I were to get a paper cut, you could heal that?"

She nodded.

"Then you're not useless. The smallest of acts can move the greatest of mountains. Don't forget that. But I'm going to get you something that should help you warm up. Can I count on you to stay put?"

More nodding.

A smile formed underneath his mustache. "I'll be back."

Aura watched him leave then looked back down at her mutilated hands. Tears formed in her eyes. The man wanted a demonstration of her abilities. How was she supposed to perform any of her magic? Both powers required her hands.

She couldn't contain herself any longer; her emotions were shot. Curling up on the bench, she unleashed days of crying she hadn't been able to get out before. Staring at her hands which rigidly protruded in front of her.

Her eyes finally closed. She knew she wasn't perfect. She knew she made mistakes, just as everyone else, but she really didn't understand what she had done to deserve this fate. Wasn't truly sure of why Odin banished her to begin with. Yes, she had been loved, but was that truly a crime?

Heimdall had even questioned the king's judgment. And Heimdall was one of the most loyal of them all.

Aura remembered the sadness in his golden eyes, and she wondered if he saw her now. Would it be selfish of her to ask for the Bifrost? To beg for her return into the forbidden kingdom? She had a feeling it would be. But would it really be too much to ask?

Howard Stark returned with a small white cup. Quickly set it down upon seeing the young woman's current state. "Are you in pain? Is there anything I can get for you?"

She sniffed, pushing herself up by the heels of her palms. "I can't feel much. I was just…." She trailed.

He took a deep breath. "I know. But here, drink this. It'll help." He offered the cup. "I don't think you have the capabilities to hold it. This is going to sound strange, but I can tilt it for you if you'd like."

Aura stared at the dark brown liquid in the cup. It had a strong odor, and she wasn't sure she wanted to try it. However, the steam wafting from it was too tantalizing to pass up. "It's okay if you hold it. I'll drink it."

"Be careful, it might burn your mouth."

She giggled. "I highly doubt that. I'm rather durable against heat."

His head titled. "I'm sure you would be, given one half of your powers."

Carefully, she sipped on the drink, eager for its warmth. But once the liquid hit her tongue and the back of her throat, she made a face. "What is that?"

He laughed. "That, my friend, is a good ole cup o' Joe. Coffee."

"Coffee?" She tried some more. Nose scrunching. "It's not very good."

"It's an acquired taste, believe me. And I couldn't find the cream or sugar, so this is black. The most bitter way to take it. Do you want to stop drinking it?"

She took another sip. Felt the cozy coffee sliding down her esophagus and into her stomach. She could feel the heat spreading through her body. It caused pins and needles, but it livened up her spirits. It may taste bad, but it was delightful. "No. I'll finish it."

Howard held the cup for her until she had depleted it, making sure she didn't drink too fast. "I will warn you, this does have caffeine in it, so if you start feeling abnormally light headed, you need to let me know. I'll sneak you something to eat."

Nodding, she licked her lips. Settling with the welcoming feeling quite pleasantly.

The door to the secondary medical room slammed open, startling both of those already in the room.

The Colonel marched in. "Are we ready to do the tests, Stark?"

Aura's lips curled inward, and she turned wide eyes on the man who gave her coffee. Did he actually intend to test her in some way? Was her getting warm to make her feel comfortable? Make her feel strong enough to perform tests? What was going on? What was actually going on?

Stark rose, placing an arm in front of the Asgardian. "You're not supposed to be here. You're supposed to be presiding over Peggy's mission."

The Colonel stood next to a large control panel with a monitor. "Agent Carter is on a mission that will…take her some time to figure out."

Howard marched up to the other man. "Did you seriously send her on a wild goose chase so you could come in here and coerce me into running tests on Aura?"

"You will address her as A-001. And you're the scientist. Of course you would be the one running the tests. You're the one who can properly interpret the data."

His jaw set. "No."

"Oh, really?" The Colonel un-holstered a pistol and pointed it at the alien. "Push me."

Stark looked over his shoulder at the terrified girl on the bench. "Her only powers aren't fire. She can heal, too. She's not a lab experiment. Plus, she has mild frostbite. What would you expect her to do?"

Using the gun, he motioned to the chamber behind him. "That's a temperature-sensitive room. Slowly raise the heat until A-001 completely thaws. Don't know why a smart mind like you can't figure out that out."

"Please, Colonel—"

"I will not have my name said in front of a prisoner. If you don't do what I ask, we'll see how quickly she can heal herself."

Howard rubbed the bridge of his nose and looked at the floor. "She can't heal herself."

The Colonel angled his head. "Oh. Really? Then I guess you better do as I say."

Stark sighed. "Very well." He turned and returned to Aura, keeping his voice low. "You have to believe me that I had no idea he was coming. I don't want to hurt you."

The once servant of Asgard's palace searched his brown eyes. Searched them long and hard. This man was being honest; his eyes held the same pain Heimdall did when he was forced to cast her out. "I know."

He helped her into glass-encased twelve by twelve foot room adjacent to the one they were in. Sat her on the floor in the middle. Ran his hands over his face. "This room is like a sauna. I'm going to gradually raise the temperature so as not to shock your system. I'm so sorry."

Aura gave a nod. Not looking at the Colonel.

Howard stepped out and turned the giant lock on the door. Sat down at the massive computer system.

She watched the pair of men on the other side of the thick glass. Thick enough she couldn't hear anything they said between each other. Her heart raced, sending sharp pains through her semi-frozen chest. She winced, but she didn't want to show too much expression.

Her eyes surveyed the room she was in. There were two bizarre looking metal spikes coming from two upper corners and what she assumed to be heaters in the floor corners. Then she felt it. Warmth flowing onto the floor and surrounding her.

Head tilting back, she closed her eyes. Breathing in the pleasant temperature change. She ignored the pain her body screamed at her to acknowledge. Even if it caused tears to well. She didn't want the pain. She only wanted warmth. Only wanted warmth.

Over the course of an hour, the temperature steadily increased.

All of Aura's senses fully emerged as they once were before she entered the cold cell room, and she had full control of all of her limbs. Her fingers were no longer blue. Yet, she had a feeling her fingernails would be perpetually black.

She had moved to sitting on her knees with her hands placed in her lap. Her eyes still closed.

After another hour of rising heat, her position hadn't changed. She opened her eyes and searched the outside room for Howard Stark. Was he not going to give her commands to perform fire magic? She had been more than restored. But she swiftly learned why she wasn't receiving any prompts.

The Colonel and Howard Stark were having a very animated argument.

Aura rose and went to the glass closest to the two men. Knocked on it. She didn't know if they could hear her because they kept arguing.

Unfortunately, it appeared Stark was losing.

She swallowed.

The Colonel finally pushed Howard to the ground and smashed a fist against an unseen button.

A soft humming caused Aura's head to snap up. She searched the dual spikes. What were those? Were they turning on…? She ran to the back wall and pressed herself against it. Keeping her eyes on the spikes.

The humming turned into a whir. Then the whir turned into a sharp whine, and bolts of electricity snapped and cracked their way down the spires.

Aura instantly realized what was happening and what was going to happen. She had no resistance to electricity. Nor did she have the emotions required for summoning enough heat to melt the metal spikes. Trembling, she slid down the wall. Waiting for her fate to transpire.

And then it did.

Two streams of electricity arced about the room and found the sole live being inside.

She immediately began screaming, stiffening yet thrashing as the currents made her muscles expand and contract at the same time. She eventually slumped sideways and twitched. Trying desperately to reach out for help.

The voltage increased.

Her back arched, and her yells strengthened. "Please," she hoarsely cried. Tears streamed down her cheeks, making the energy more prominent on her face. "Please!" She couldn't move in any position to ease the pain.

Then the power surge abruptly stopped.

She rolled to her back. Vision blurred and panting as saliva trickled from her mouth. Her arms and legs convulsing. Everything hurt in a way she had never experienced before. She released a strained whine. She wanted her beloved. Needed him to come save her because there was no way she was saving herself. She was helpless.

The electricity started again. More intense this time.

Aura shrieked louder than she ever had. Weakly turned to her side with no control over her flailing body. "Loki," she called. "Please hear me!" She felt her consciousness leaving her, and she made one last effort to form a mental connection she knew would never happen. Darkness overcame her.

"Loki…."


	4. Chapter 4

Six days passed.

Aura knew this because Howard Stark told her every time he came inside the temperature controlled room. She wasn't allowed to leave this chamber now. They proved her with a bucket twice a day to do business in. Her meals had been cut from three to two times a day.

At least she didn't have to shackled and cuffed in the frigid room.

Presently, she sat slumped in a corner. Exhausted and in constant pain. Her chest heaved up and down with labored breaths. Nothing was numb. She felt everything with electrifying clarity. Dried tears and saliva caked her face and neck.

Of all the ways the palace kept its servants in line, "shock therapy," as the Colonel called it, was not one of them. Not that she had seen, anyway.

She wasn't sure how to process this kind of pain. As much as the cold hurt, at least she turned numb after some time. This was the opposite. And this was not a form of agony she could get used to. Every time she was shocked, it felt worse than the one before.

Though she had no desire to die, she couldn't help but wonder why they wanted her alive when they tortured her so. She knew Loki wasn't going to come. They never had any sort of mental link. She could only plead to thin air.

And to Heimdall.

Her eyes lifted to the ceiling of the chamber. She knew he could see her. He saw everything. How could he let her stay in this Hel of a place? It wasn't like she knew the Guardian of Asgard very well, but he hadn't wanted to send her away to begin with. Would it really be a crime to return?

She inhaled a sharp breath. Now that she thought about it, returning to Asgard would most likely mean death. Not torture but death. Especially since she was a slave. Odin never called them servants.

The door to the experimentation chamber opened. However, it wasn't Howard Stark who entered this time. The Colonel walked in with his hands behind his back.

Aura closed her eyes. What could he do to her now?

The hardened man smirked. "How have you not reacted to our stimulation? I'm beginning to doubt that you actually have abilities."

"I don't like," she struggled for a breath, "I don't like using my fire unless absolutely necessary."

"Clearly, you don't feel threatened enough then. What can we do to change that?"

She attempted shaking her head. She felt very threatened, but that wasn't how her magic worked. It wasn't just when she was angry or desperate or anything like that. Her fire tended to reveal itself whenever it wanted. She didn't have much control over it, and that's why it scared her so much.

Before she was banished, Loki was going to teach her how to properly use her flames. Obviously, it never happened.

The Colonel squatted next to her, taking her chin in his hand and forcing her to look at him. "We have video and audio of your time in here. After detailed review, we noticed your first couple days you called out to a 'Loki.' Would you like to tell me who that is?"

Her eyes shifted away. "It's a general term used in Asgard."

"Then why don't I believe you?"

"W-where is Mr. Stark?"

"I've sent him on a scientific expedition. And Agent Carter has run into some…minor setbacks in her mission. They'll be back when they can."

She was alone with this man? There was no telling what would happen now. Other than she was scared. She was very terrified of what this man could potentially be capable of. Even if he didn't want her for the same reason the one guard did.

His tone deepened. "Who is Loki?"

"N-nobody. It's a general term our people use."

"Oh, really?" He rose. Paced around the perimeter of the chamber. "Because I kept thinking Asgard sounded familiar. I turned to one of our researchers, and turns out, it's a place in our mythology."

"It is real."

"I never said it wasn't. I'm one of those people that has always believed all of our myths have some root in facts. And you know what's funny about what else I found? Your Loki is a real being."

Aura's lips pressed together. She didn't think about the ramifications of saying her beloved's name out loud. In all honesty, she hadn't meant to say it out loud. It was an instinctive response to the pain. But what would they do to him if they were somehow able to capture him, too?

The Colonel stared at her. "Since you know that I know Loki is a real being, why don't you make it easy for all of us and tell me about him?"

She panicked. She couldn't betray the one she loved to a monster of a Midgardian. To a man who would use said information to exploit a weakness and persecute. Her mouth clamped shut.

"Oh, I see." He crossed to the other side of the chamber. "It's because he's royalty, isn't it? That's why you love him. He's your knight in shining armor who will save you from a life of servitude. Tell me. Does he even know you exist? I bet he doesn't care at all for you."

"That's not true." She couldn't help herself. No one could make her believe lies about Loki. "He loving me is what got me banished."

"So his mistake cost you your old life? He's the reason why you're here. The reason why you're being tortured. Does he know of your plight? If he does, and he hasn't come saved you, then that tells me he doesn't care about you in the slightest."

"No! He does care. He doesn't know where I am. He doesn't know where I got banished to. It's not his fault."

"But it's because of him, though, right? You're paying for his faults. So am I the real villain here?"

"No. I-I mean, yes. You're the villain. You sent Agent Peggy Carter and Mr. Howard Stark away because they disagreed with you, and you want your way. You're mean, and you're a bully. You're the villain."

The Colonel chuckled. "Is that really all you can muster? I've been insulted worse by a ten year old."

Despite herself, tears welled. She didn't have enough mental capacity to be dealing with this type of verbal barrage. Even if she was capable of handling it, she still wouldn't have anything clever to say. She wasn't clever in these situations. Regardless, a servant could never speak out against anybody.

"Your Loki has betrayed you."

"He has not."

"Tell me about him, and should he show up on Earth, I'll be able to handle him for you."

Her upper lip curled into a snarl, a fire beginning to burn inside her. "He is the most powerful being in all the Nine Realms. If anyone is handled, it'll be you."

An evil smile crept across his face. "Even the greatest of powers have weaknesses. Ask Adolf Hitler. His greatest weakness was his own pride. That's how we won the War. What's your Loki's weakness? Is it you?"

Aura's gaze dropped. She hadn't considered that before. Would she be considered Loki's weakness? Would she be the reason he would ultimately get hurt in this Realm? She would rather die than be the cause of his discomfort.

The Colonel's grin broadened when he realized what she was contemplating. "Oh, yes. You will be his downfall, and when we have him, we will do the same thing to him we've been doing to you. Understand?"

Her deep blue eyes lifted. "You will not hurt him."

"Yes, we will. We have more than enough capabilities with Stark's technology. And should the newest advancements not work, we can always use the old fashioned hack and slash methods."

"You will not hurt him."

"I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation. We've hurt you, and we will hurt him."

She slowly rose. Gaze hardening and flames forming around two tightly clenched fists. She spoke each word slowly and deliberately. "You will not hurt him."

His eyes lit up in wonder at her fire. He had gotten exactly what we wanted. And he continued to push. "We'll make you watch, too. As we peel the flesh from his body, as we take the life from his eyes."

Aura released an uncharacteristic battle cry and lunged forward. But time seemed to stop within her mind. Her subconscious had turned to darkness, and there was a single ball of fire floating in the middle of the space.

The mental projection of herself waded through ankle deep waters as thick and inky as the rest of the expanse. The flame called to her. Beckoned her. Begged her to take it. It had been hidden away for so long. It needed to finally be brought to life.

Cerebral Aura reached out a slender arm, her open palm enjoying the warmth the fireball provided. She had never seen it before. Didn't know it existed within her. But she could feel its power and strength. She had felt so weak for so long, she wanted nothing more than to take it. And thus, she did.

The physical Aura changed form for the first time in the years of her existence. While she had been pushed and tormented before, she had never been taken to this extreme. She had never been tortured for this long of a time. Everything in her was shot.

But most importantly, no one had ever threatened Loki like this to her before.

Embers from her flaming hands travelled along her body, her pale skin cracking and floating away as blackened dust, revealing bright crimson flesh. Her tri-colored hair became the color of thick ash, and black horns curled backwards from her forehead. A prehensile half-spaded tail grew from the end of her tailbone.

The Colonel locked eyes with the newly-transformed alien. Locked gaze with a pair of the darkest, most soulless orbs he had ever seen. He whipped out his pistol.

This new Aura laughed, grabbing the barrel and melting it with ease. Even her voice had changed. A new air of sultry confidence lingered within it. "You wanted a display of my abilities, did you not?"

He scrambled away. His eyes unnaturally wide as he gasped for air.

She glanced at her hand. Held it up to better view her black nails. Then her pure black gaze returned to the other. "Shall I peel away your flesh? I think you would benefit from learning how to do it properly."

"Stay back! I'm warning you!"

"Oh, what? The big bad man no longer wants to play now that he's not in control?"

His voice cracked. "Stay back."

"Mm, let's see. You threatened to capture my beloved and force him to live a life of pain and suffering." The entirety of both of her arms erupted into huge flames. Her expression darkened. "How about no."

He finally found the door and opened it. Slammed it shut in time to seal a burst of fire in with the…thing. After cranking the lock, he vaulted over the computer system and smashed his favorite button.

The two spikes sparked to life.

The fire demon's eyes widened as she whirled around to face them. But before she could destroy them, streams of electricity coursed through her body. She fell to one knee. Tried maintaining her new appearance. However, she failed. And fell into the realm of screams.

Aura was caught in an excruciating alteration between her two forms until the surges of power forced her to back to her original form. She dropped to her side, greatly trembling. Her normal blue eyes wide.

It wasn't just the electricity causing her distress. What had just happened filled her with fear. Filled her with dread. That wasn't her. That couldn't have been her. She was nothing like that…that fiery fiend. Her eyes focused on her permanently black fingernails. Even though she convulsed with the powerful surges, the pain momentarily disappeared.

She had caught a slight reflection of herself in the glass. Clearly saw her red arms. Felt a new kind of strength swelling within her. That ball of fire in the void of her mind had consumed her, and she didn't know if she liked it. She didn't even know she had an alternate form.

Her vision focused on nothing now. Fell out of focus. Loki didn't know she had an alternate form, either. Would he still love her when he found out? If he found out. She didn't know if she would ever see him again. And with how the Colonel talked, she didn't want to see him again because she would be his downfall.

A strong jolt of electricity pulled her out of her mind, causing her exclamations to grow louder. Yet, she pleaded with Heimdall. Pleaded with him not to send the Bifrost, not to send help. But to not allow Loki to come to Midgard. She wanted the guardian of Asgard to promise her he would never let Loki pass through the Bifrost to this wretched place.

Hot tears fell as she found the Colonel on the other side of the glass. That monster would never get what he wanted. Even if it meant she would never see her beloved again.


	5. Chapter 5

_**1980s [Exact Year Classified Top Priority]**_

 _ **United States [Exact Location Classified Top Priority]**_

A knock sounded on the cold cell room door.

Aura lifted her head from her metal desk, eyes searching the back of the door. Waiting for someone to enter.

Peggy Carter walked in with a small yet sad smile.

The Asgardian stood to her feet. Concern rising within her. Peggy normally carried unpleasant news with that expression. She played with her fingers held in front of her.

The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. sat on the bed and patted it. "Would you care to join me for a minute? I'm afraid I don't have much time."

Aura nodded. There had only been two other times Peggy had wished to speak to her like this. The first time was her supposed "attack" on the Colonel. The second was when Peggy, along with Howard Stark, became the head of the organization founded from the S.S.R. Neither were inherently bad, but both meant changes were ahead.

Not that all the changes were inherently bad, either. One of the changes were to her room. Yes, it was still cold, but it was nowhere near the debilitating chilliness it was her first year. Her fire was incapacitated, but she could freely move about her room. They also gave her a simple desk and chair. Periodically giving her paper and various pencils for her to draw what she remembered of Asgard. It gave her something to do during her isolated times.

Peggy took one of the half-elf's hands. "I'm afraid I have some news."

Her brows knitted with concern as the older woman's expression subtly altered. She waited for her to continue, but nothing else was said. "What kind of news?"

The Director took a deep breath, her accent wavering slightly. "I'm afraid I've come to say goodbye."

"What? Why? Are you sick? I can try to heal you. Please let me try to heal you."

"Aura, no, I'm not sick." She brushed a few strands of gray hair out of her face. "I'm not sure if you have this on Asgard, seeing how you haven't aged one bit since we found you, but we Midgardians have a stage in our lives called retirement. I'm in my sixties. I'm getting old, and it's time for me to use my talents elsewhere."

"You're not old. Your physical body may be growing older, but your heart has not changed since the day I first met you."

Peggy smiled and squeezed the other's hand. "You have always been so kind to me. Despite the things Howard and I have been forced to do to you under the Colonel."

"They were your orders. I don't hold those against you or Mr. Stark. Is…is the Colonel going to be the new director?"

"No. He suffered from an unfortunate assassination two weeks ago. I would've told you sooner, but there was an investigation, retaliation, and so forth. Plus, I wanted to be certain before I let you know."

Aura released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Her emotions were conflicted. She wasn't heartless enough to wish death upon an individual, but at the same time, the Colonel was heartless enough to deserve death. She empathized with his surely mourning family, however. But she did not feel sorry for the man, and she wasn't quite sure if it was bad or not.

The last time she directly interacted with the Colonel was when she had her…incident. She had seen him over the years occasionally, yes, but he typically stayed a room away from her and didn't speak to her himself. She didn't think a man of his demeanor could be scared of someone like her, but it was the only thing that made sense.

As much as her transformation had terrified her, she was glad it kept him away from her. Even if that one time was the only time it happened. It still sent chills down her spine when she thought about it. She tried her best not to think about it, but nightmares were something she had no control over. Her jaw set.

And demons never died. Especially not the personal ones.

Peggy squeezed her hand again. "Are you alright?"

Aura blinked, coming back to reality. "Yes. I-I'm sorry. And I'm sorry to hear about the Colonel."

"Even though I don't believe you own a single ounce of sarcastic nature, I'm going to believe your last statement was sarcasm. Nobody misses the Colonel, trust me."

"Not even his family?"

The leaving director softened. "I'm sure his family does miss him. You're thoughtful to care about them."

"Is that why they're making you retire? Do they somehow blame you for his assassination?"

"No, my dear," Peggy laughed. "I'm leaving on my own terms. I can tell the times are changing. A board has been enacted by the government. S.H.I.E.L.D. may have a director, but they will have to answer to higher powers again. It could be a good form of accountability. It could also backfire. Regardless, I'm too old and senile to deal with it."

Aura wrapped her arms around her. "You can't leave. I don't want you to leave."

Peggy blinked back tears and kept an even tone. Stroked the other's tri-colored hair. "I know, I know. I don't want to leave you, either. You're so brilliant, and I'm going to miss you so much."

"A-at least give my love to your children and niece."

"Oh, I most certainly will. And perhaps the new director will let you send letters and your lovely pictures to me."

This brightened Aura's heart, but she still released a few tears. "I hope so. I want to still be able to stay in touch with you. I don't want to let you go."

A new, deep voice startled the women. "It's time."

Peggy looked up, lightly dabbing her eyes. "Oh. Yes. Right." She helped the Asgardian back to an upright sitting position. Lightly brushed the other's chin with the side of a forefinger. "Chin up. Hopefully, I'll be able to see you again. I know the time seems rough right now, but what do I always tell you?"

Aura's deep blue eyes glittered with unspent liquid. "Be brave."

"That's right. No matter what, be brave." She took Aura's head in both her hands. "Oh, I am going to miss you so much."

"I'm going to miss you, too."

The man spoke again. "Agent Carter, I do not wish to keep the chopper waiting any longer. Fuel is an expensive resource."

Peggy blinked at her old title. "Of course. Goodbye, my sweet Aura."

Aura rose with the older woman. "I…I don't want to say goodbye."

"Then you don't have to. We'll meet again."

She nodded. Gave her one last hug before watching her leave the room. She almost wanted to follow Peggy, but the dark skinned man standing in the doorway made her pause. He watched at her with one eye.

Much like Odin.

Her breath caught as she swallowed. The staring man said nothing; simply stood with his hands behind his back. Unblinking, unmoving. His all-black attire made him all the more intimidating. She didn't know who he was or where he came from. Not that it surprised her much, but since her interactions with other beings was so scarce, she expected an introduction in the least.

Barely moving, he shut the room to the door. Still without a word directed to her.

Hearing the lock slide into place, she jumped. And though she wanted to be distressed by Peggy's departure, she couldn't help but think of this new man. The pit of her stomach told her he was the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

An organization she knew hardly anything about, despite being with it since it was called the Scientific Strategic Reserve. Well, she did know something about it. She knew it stood for Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. Which was quite a mouthful. And she knew it was a spy organization. Maybe not all spies, but that's what she got out of what Peggy and Mr. Stark told her.

No, it wasn't all spies. S.H.I.E.L.D. had soldiers, too. And the one soldier called the Captain.

Peggy had been heartbroken relaying the story of how the Captain had been lost. She spoke so highly of him, and she made him seem so noble. "The perfect embodiment of America," that's what Peggy had said, "And one hell of a man."

Aura couldn't help but smile as she recalled that day. She had a feeling Peggy liked this Captain more than she led on. Apparently, he had been a willing experiment for a new program. Howard Stark was so proud of his success. And when he tried to tell the story, he spoke in terms she had no possible way of understanding. But she smiled and nodded, nonetheless. She hadn't wanted to dampen Mr. Stark's enthusiasm.

She presently frowned. Peggy wasn't going to be around anymore to share stories with.

Her eyes lowered as she went to her desk and sat down. She understood why Peggy had to leave. Midgardians aged at a much more rapid rate than Asgardians. Even if the time on Midgard passed more slowly. She always had a hard time wrapping her head around that one.

But she had seen this before. Many times before, with all of her old friends back when there were castles and knights. She couldn't save them. Her healing magic didn't extend lifespans. She couldn't make them immortal. So she watched them die one by one until a whole new era came to pass over Midgard.

After that, she swore to herself she wouldn't let herself get attached, yet, she couldn't help it. Yes, there were mean Midgardians, just as they were mean Asgardians. Overall, however, they were highly compassionate. Most only wanted to learn about the world around them. There were actually almost identical to Asgardians in nature.

Except, they didn't live nearly as long.

She sighed. Was this why she had been banished to this particular Realm? To watch everyone she grew to care about die while she remained helpless? This was what she assumed, anyway. No one could truly know the mind of Odin. Not even Queen Frigga. The king of Asgard was a man of his own accord.

Her fingers played with the pencils, and she stared at the blank piece of paper in front of her. She could always start writing a letter to Peggy now. But what would she write about? The menacing man in black with one eye? They already seemed familiar to each other. She didn't really have anything else to write about. There was nothing extraordinary happening in her life.

Of course, she could always tell her about her beloved. She went rigid. No. She wasn't stupid. Anything she wrote about to Peggy would obviously be read by others to see if she would leak any new information they could drill her on later. And she was not betraying Loki. Especially when she still begged Heimdall every day to keep him off Midgard.

She tapped the pencil on the desk. She would have to draw a picture then. But of what? Even though they liked her drawing pictures of Asgard so they could see what it looked like, she was by no means an excellent artist. All of her pictures were just rough ideas. She had honestly never drawn before until they slapped paper in front of her one day.

Would Peggy like a picture of herself?

Aura's face scrunched with doubt. She knew she wouldn't like a picture of herself. Despite the times of Peggy telling her she was pretty, she didn't like looking at herself. It made her feel uncomfortable. Vanity wasn't allowed among the palace servants, and even if it was, she didn't think she would be vain in any way. It didn't appeal to her.

She liked keeping her head down and going through the halls unnoticed. She hated when people looked at her. That was even more uncomfortable than when she had the rare chance of looking at herself.

But what would Peggy like? Oh, she had an idea. She would do her best to create the Captain. She had never seen a picture or likeness of him, but she had an idea of what he looked like. And with as much as Peggy implied she liked him, it seemed like the best option. Peggy would probably be happy with anything sent to her, whether it looked like the Captain or not.

However, as time passed, Aura realized she ended up drawing a rendering of the man missing his left eye. She didn't realize he was the one her mind wouldn't leave. It wasn't because she was intrigued by him. It was because of the exact opposite. Her gut churned with the assumption he was the new director, and she had no idea what kind of a man he would turn out to be.


	6. Chapter 6

"I think it's time you and I get to know each other a little better."

Aura startled from her desk, nearly falling off her bitter chair. She brushed her hair away from her face. Why didn't she hear the door open? Her eyes found the figure standing in the doorway. Swallowed. It was the one-eyed man.

The man still dressed in black kept his hands behind his back. Rose his right brow at her silence. "Did you hear my question? Is that okay with you?"

"Oh, y-yes." She glanced at her attempted drawing of the Captain and quickly turned it over.

"Bring that with you."

Her gaze flickered to him, but she nodded. Gentle fingers lifted the paper off her desk. Another nod, and she followed the new man into the corridor. Something felt…off. She didn't know what it was. Not that this place was ever full of noise, but it seemed even quieter than normal. Was Peggy not the only one who left?

She inclined her head when he held open the door to the interview room. Sitting in her designated chair without command. However, she kept her drawing in her lap. Ashamed of how it looked and how it somewhat resembled the dark-skinned man.

The man in question stepped up beside her on her left, holding out an expectant hand.

Keeping her breath drawn in, she surrendered her paper. Bit her bottom lip and left her head down.

He studied the sketch in silence for some time before he placed it on the table. Took a seat on the other side. "I am Special Agent Nick Fury, the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D. In your file, you're listed as A-001, but you have an actual name, correct?"

She nodded. "My name is Aura."

"Very well, Aura. You seemed to spend a great deal of time with Agent Carter."

Another nod. "She liked to see me as much as she could to make sure I was taken care of. Mr. Stark, too."

Fury sat back. "Under this new direction for S.H.I.E.L.D., there will be a council of eight members who watch my every move. I'm letting you know they will not know about you. I confiscated all of your records before I became official director. Only people I trust will ever know about you. So far, it's only Stark and I. And, of course, Agent Carter."

Her deep blue eyes lifted. "Really?"

"Does this surprise you?"

"Honestly, yes. The Colonel knew about me."

"And made Stark perform illegal experiments on you. I only trust people as far as I can throw them, and since I can't touch anyone on the council, I don't trust them at all. Personally, I find their presence redundant, but I don't have much say on the matter."

Aura studied Director Fury. Even though he kept himself completely closed off to everything around him, he didn't appear mean or evil. Stern, maybe. But not needlessly mean. And he did call the experiments done on her illegal. That had to count for something.

"Agent Carter didn't interview you much, did she?"

"Not very often, no."

"Then let's start filling in the gaps." Fury pulled out a slim device from inside his trench coat. Pressed a button and set it on the table. "I want to timeline your presence on the earth. You came during the Middle Ages?"

"The early 1400s, I think. It's been awhile."

His right brow rose. "I would say so. And this is how you've looked since you arrived?"

She looked down. "Well, my clothes have changed, but as far as my appearance goes, yes. I honestly can't tell if I've aged or not. Time is so odd here."

"Interesting. And what did you do when you first came here? Because I've found some legends regarding a figure known as the Woman with the Fire Hair, and I'm wondering if that's you."

Her cheeks reddened. To think she had legends surrounding her. Her…a palace servant having legends made about her? It made her giggle. However, she composed herself. The Woman with the Fire Hair could be someone different.

Subconsciously playing with her tri-colored hair, her brows scrunched with thought. "When I first arrived, I was in the middle of a forest. I was very afraid. I wandered for days until a knight found me. Then I stayed with the kingdom as a commoner. Until I healed someone. Then I became a renowned healer, traveling from kingdom to kingdom."

"So you held some prestige then?"

"Oh, I don't think so. I was just nice to people who needed care. But I made lots of friends. I had a whole party that traveled with me for a while. Knights for hire, bards and other performers, craftsmen, the like." She smiled to herself. "As afraid as I was trying to learn the rules of a new Realm, those were my favorite times."

"And all you did during this time was heal people?"

"For the most part, yes. I did menial tasks, too." Then she suddenly frowned. "But there were remnants of what they called the Great Plague. I knew I couldn't heal poisons, but I didn't know about plagues. I tried. I should've been able to do it, but I couldn't. I still don't know why. And that was when I learned about the fragile mortality of Midgardians."

Director Fury studied the girl before him. "Are you immortal?"

Aura's eyes searched the table before she looked at the man. "By your standards, I think so. But Asgardians can die, same as Midgardians, but it takes more to kill us. There was one time a group of bandits raided our traveling party's camp at night. They tried to stab me, but their swords couldn't piece my flesh. It's one of the most bizarre things I've experienced here."

"Are there swords in Asgard that can hurt you?"

She nodded very deliberately. "Oh, yes." She held out her right arm to reveal her scattered scars. "These are from a dagger made in Asgard."

He took a long look at the marks she showed him. "We'll discuss the story surrounding those later. I want to remain focused on your time here."

"Of course." She rolled her sleeve back down. "But with each passing generation, it became harder and harder for me to grow close to anyone. It was so hard to see them all die. And then weird times happened. These people dressed in all black with strange masks captured me and kept me as their slave."

"People with strange masks?"

She shrugged, shaking her head. "They always spoke in hushed tones, but even when they spoke to where I could clearly hear, it was a language I didn't understand. But I could tell what they wanted from me. I guess servant expectations are universal. They pushed me enough one day, they discovered my fire. I didn't mean to reveal it; it just happened."

"You don't have much control over your fire ability, do you?"

"Not at all. It just kind of happens, and I have to deal with it."

Fury pressed his fingertips together and slowly nodded. "Carry on with your story. We'll address your fire another time."

"But those people must've done something wrong, because all of a sudden, we were fleeing the United Kingdom area and heading to America. And then they got worse than they already were."

"And made you burn the witches?"

Her gaze lowered as she nodded.

"You can skip that since you told Agent Carter the summary of it."

"I woke up one night to the sound of gunfire. The masked people were dead, and these colonists freed me. I was afraid they would kill me, too, but they were reasonable and let me live among them for some time. And then the Revolution happened. Talk about a scary time."

"Did you pick a side?"

"How could I? There were so many hurt soldiers. I was in a constant state of panic because I wanted to help everybody. I had to be careful, though, because I got pegged a traitor by both sides, and then everyone wanted to kill me. I had to flee until the war was over and a few generations died out. And then there was another war."

He somewhat chuckled at her exasperation. "The Civil War?"

"Yes. I felt so bad for everyone involved. Brother against brother, father against son. I had never seen the same people fight each other like that. Yes, Asgard had their wars, but it was against other Realms and didn't happen much during my time. Odin wouldn't let Asgard fight itself. I guess that was one good thing about him."

"Oh, don't worry. We'll get to Odin, as well."

Aura's eyes flickered to him. "I can try my best, but I don't know much about him. I hardly ever saw him, honestly. He didn't like me."

"What did you do after the Civil War?"

She blinked. "I went into hiding. After that war, things became strange. The wrong type of people were interested in me. And then the World Wars broke out. I think I would classify those as the scariest time. And then the S.S.R. found me. I'm honestly not sure how. I thought I was being kidnapped."

"So it seems like the bulk of your power usage happened during the Middle Ages?"

"Oddly enough, people were more open to them, despite their high paranoia and fears. But I also used healing versus fire. Aside from the Witch Trials, I didn't use that half of my magic much. It came out again during the Civil War when I was trying to light an underground pathway, but it kept itself hidden for the most part."

Director Fury sat wordlessly for a long time. Evaluating the information she told him.

Aura played with her fingers. She didn't know what else she was supposed to say. Those were the major events she experienced since being on Midgard. Did he want her to go into more detail? It would be quite a bit of detail. But he wouldn't quite staring at her with his one eye. What else did he want?

She dropped her eyes to her lap. Stole a glance back up. He was still looking at her. She didn't quite know what to make of the man. He still didn't seem ruthless, but he wasn't exactly happy, either. Had he gone through a turbulent past, too? It made sense. But there had to be a reason he was the new director.

Fury finally reclined back in his chair. "I'm sure you want to ask me something."

Her gaze returned to him. "I'm not sure if you can answer the questions I have. But how do you get to this position?"

"I can't give you exact details, but I originally worked my way up through the ranks in the Army. Do you know about the Army?"

"Vaguely…?"

"It's a branch of America's military. I became an officer then I was recruited by the CIA, where I stayed for many years."

Aura's face blanked. "CIA?"

"It stands for Central Intelligence Agency. I was a spy, and a really good one, too. Now, I'm with S.H.I.E.L.D. Hopefully, I can do some good here. But we'll see what the council lets me do. It's a good thing I'm used to having to deal with superiors who haven't actually worked in the field."

Her eyes brightened. "What's it like? Being a spy?"

He released a small laugh. "Not as glamourous as you're probably picturing. It has its moments, sure, but it also had its consequences. And decisions you don't want to make but are forced to. I've seen my share of people I care about die."

She softened. "I'm sorry."

"It's something you learn to move on with." He tapped the picture on the table. "Can we talk about this?"

"Oh. Uh, that was meant for Peggy. I was trying to draw the Captain, even though I haven't seen an image of him."

"The Captain? You mean Captain America?"

"Is that his full title?"

"It _was_ his full title. He died back in the 40s. Gave his life to protect his country. Well, to protect the world, really. Is a drawing of him what you want to send to Agent Carter?"

She nodded. "I think Peggy liked him."

Fury checked his watch, grabbing the silver recording device and rose. "I'm out of time for today. But the next time I come, I'll bring you a picture of Captain America so you can send a picture to Agent Carter."

Aura followed his lead and walked back to her room. "Thank you."

He inclined his head. "I can't promise you when I'll be back next, but I will return."

She watched the door to her room close, plunging her back into cold and dim light. He didn't know when he would be back, and he was only one of a few people who was allowed to see her? How long would she be alone before someone returned to interact with her?


	7. Chapter 7

"Aura…Aura…"

The half-elf stirred in her bed, hardly waking. Her eyes somewhat opened to barely see a figure, but she rolled back over anyway. Curling into herself more. Mumbling incoherently.

"Aura…Aura, can you hear me?" the voice crooned.

She roused and looked over her shoulder. Rubbed her eyes. "W-who is it?"

A familiar smile focused into her blurred vision. "Don't you recognize me, even in your slumber?"

Her eyes widened as a broad grin spread across her face. "Loki!"

"Who else would I be? Did you peg me for someone else? I hope not Thor."

"I can't believe you found me. After all this time, you were able to find me."

"Of course I found you. Did you really think Odin could keep you away from me forever?"

"I…I don't know. I kept telling Heimdall to keep you off Midgard so you wouldn't be caught and tortured by the bad guy. I didn't want you to get hurt."

Loki's emerald eyes glittered with their usual flare. "Do you think a simple Midgardian would be able to hurt me? Me?"

She looked away. "I didn't know about that, either. They hurt me, so I may have assumed. But I should've known not to. You're much stronger than I am."

"Strength comes in different forms, love. There are things you're stronger at than I am. You're much more kind, and I could never match the goodness in your heart."

Her hand found the side of his face. He felt so cold, but she didn't question it. She was simply thankful to have her beloved back with her again. Tears brimmed in her joyful eyes. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too. I never once stopped thinking about you. I'm only sorry I couldn't get to you sooner."

"How much time has passed on Asgard?"

"Too much time. Any time passed without you is too long."

Aura smiled. "I've only wanted to be with you."

"You are with me. You're with me right now. I'm not leaving you again. I'm not letting you stay by yourself any longer."

"Do you promise?"

"Of course I promise. You won't have to be without me ever again."

Her eyes fluttered closed. "That's good. I don't want to be without you ever again. I've been so lonely here. There's been so much pain and isolation. I didn't know how much longer I could live like this. Now I don't have to wonder because I don't have to live like this."

Loki smiled. "No, you don't. I'll take you away from here. I'm going to free you. You aren't falling back asleep on me, are you?"

"No, I'm not. Why would I be falling asleep? I'm too happy."

"Well, you keep closing your eyes. Are you tired?"

She snuggled closer to the edge of the bed so she could be closer to him. "Well, you did wake me up from the middle of a deep dream. It's cold in here. It takes me awhile to get functioning again."

"Cold? I haven't noticed any cold."

"Maybe you're not as susceptible to it as I am since you don't have as much fire magic as I do. They used to have it absolutely freezing. My fingers were almost black, and all my skin was blue. I don't know how I survived for so long."

"See? You have strength, too. You just proved it to me. Hopefully to yourself, too. Maybe you got some stubbornness in you, too." He smirked.

She lazily waved a hand. "I don't know that I've ever been stubborn."

"You're stubborn enough to love me when everyone told you not to."

Her eyes found his. "I honestly don't know why it's such a crime for us to love each other. Are we really the ones that are wrong? Is what we feel wrong?"

"No, my love. We are not wrong. Everyone else will always have their own opinions. As long as we feel the same about each other and we promise ourselves to each other, we're perfectly fine."

"I promise myself to you."

"I know you do. Just as I know you promise yourself to me."

"I do."

His defined features crinkled with happiness as he leaned closer. "And I do, too."

She traced an invisible pattern along his arm. "Where are we going to go?"

"Wherever you would like to go, my dear. Anywhere in the Nine Realms. Anywhere at all. So where do you want to go the most?"

"Anywhere away from here. But I've been thinking about it. We know I'm partially light elf, so I would like to go to Alfheim. Queen Frigga has described it to me before, and it sounds like such a beautiful place."

"You will love it there. It's almost as beautiful as you."

Her exhausted self couldn't contain a giggle. "You've been there?"

"Of course I've been there. I've been everywhere you can imagine looking for you. And you can believe me when I say I've never seen as gorgeous of a being as you."

She continued giggling as her cheeks turned bright red. "Loki, please. You're embarrassing me. You can't possibly mean that."

"Why wouldn't I mean it? I love you, don't I? Of course you're the most beautiful creature to me. Even if you don't see you're beauty, I see it, and I think that ought to mean something."

"Well, I think you're the most handsome man I've ever seen."

"Even more handsome than Thor?"

"Always more handsome than Thor. He's not my type, anyway."

His tone grew mischievous. "Oh, now you have a type, do you?"

"Yes. And it's you. It's always been you. Even when I would see you walking through the halls as we were children. It's always been you."

"And it's always been you for me, too."

Aura sighed with contentment. "So we're going to Alfheim?"

"If that's what you wish."

"I think so. Will we have Heimdall take us there? I know he didn't want to banish me to begin with. Do you think he would be okay with sending us there?"

"I don't think Heimdall will have a problem. I know he feels sorry for what he's done, but he was just following orders. It's not his fault."

"I know. I just wanted to get your opinion on it. You know more than I do when it comes to such matters."

One of his black brows rose. "Why do you think I'm better than you at so many things? We're equals in this relationship, love. You're not my servant; I'm not your master. Neither of us is better than the other. We're equally as good at everything. That's what makes us such a great pair."

"Okay. That makes sense. I believe you."

"Good. How about we leave now, okay? I want to get you out of this place. You've been here far too long. You've been gone too long. I want you with me. Let's get you to your feet, okay? Unless you're going to fall asleep on me again."

Her nose scrunched. "I'm not going to fall asleep again. I think I'm okay." She wriggled her toes. "Yes, I can feel my feet. I think I can stand."

Loki rose and backed up a couple steps to give her room. "That's fantastic, love. Come on. Let's go to Alfheim together."

Aura swung her feet to the floor. Pushed herself up. Looking up, she smiled when she saw her beloved holding out a hand. Taking it, she could only beam. She was free now. Loki had come, and he was going to free her.

"Come on. Let's go to Alfheim together."

She nodded. Looked back at her room. She wouldn't have to stay here any longer. She was free.

"Come on, love."

Her vision returned forward. Loki had let go of her hand and was already at the door. She couldn't help but skip with glee as she followed him to the door. Now she wouldn't have to be cold any—

Bang!

Aura bounced off the metal door and stumbled back a few steps. Tears swelled in her eyes, sharp pain resonating through her face. Blinking a few times, she looked at the door. Felt something warm on her upper lip. She brought a finger to her nose and pulled it away. Blood.

Her eyes widened as she stared at the red liquid. What had just happened? She was about to be free. She was about to be with Loki for the rest of their lives.

Loki….

She snapped her gaze back to the door. No…no, no, no, no. "No." She went to the door and felt along all the seams. "No. No!" Banged on it a couple times. This couldn't be real. This door was fake. This was all fake. It had to all be fake.

Where was Loki? Loki was right here. He was just there, waiting for her. He was right there. Where could he have gone? There was nowhere to go but out.

"Loki," she cried. Smacked her open palm on the frigid obstruction over and over. "Loki, I'm in here. Please. Please don't go to Alfheim without me. We're supposed to go together. Don't leave me in here. You promised you weren't going to leave me. You promised."

Her chest heaved up and down with rapid breaths, her fears of being abandoned realized. She whirled around and searched the room. Just the bed and desk with its small chair. Where was he? Where did he go? He was right here.

She had felt him. She felt the touch of her fingers against his skin. He was right there.

Quickly sliding to hands and knees, she checked under the bed. Then the desk. Sweat formed around her neck and underneath her arms, despite the cold temperatures. Did he leave her? Where did he go?

"Loki…Loki, where are you? I need you. I need you to come back to me. Please don't leave me alone. You must come back. Please don't leave me. I don't want to be alone anymore."

She hugged her chest. Her lungs ached because she breathed too fast, and she couldn't get enough of the thin air in her. Her longing gaze returned to the door. But it was just the door. Her beloved wasn't waiting by it anymore. Where? Where did he go? There was no possible way he left without her.

Aura's eyes moved back and forth across the cement floor. Using the cracks and gaps to map her thoughts. Played what she just remembered experiencing. She had been asleep. That's when she heard him call her name. He was there. He talked to her, smiled at her. He was right there. He had disturbed her from a dream where she had been—

Everything in her came to a screeching halt. Except for her chest. She only breathed faster while realization sunk in. Her large eyes stared blankly at the dull floor.

It had been a dream. Everything she thought had passed moments before had been a dream. A-a hallucination. She mouthed the word "hallucination." Allowed it to sit in her mind and dictate itself.

Hallucination.

Her legs slid out from under her, and she fell on the side of her hip. Keeping her torso up with one arm. The other hand covered her mouth. She had perceived the whole thing. It was her desperate brain's fruition. Nothing had been real. Her Loki wasn't tangible.

He was…he was an illusion.

Trembling overcame her. Her supporting arm visibly shaking. How long had she been alone? How long ago had Director Fury come seen her? She hadn't been keeping track of the days. She wasn't even allowed to see the face of the guard who escorted her to the bathroom across the hall. Nor whoever slid her trays of food through a slot that opened at the bottom of the door.

The door. That big metal obstacle. It was the only thing blocking her from the outside world. Keeping her from human interaction. Keeping her from being free. It was her chain.

She couldn't control herself any longer. Dropping fully to the ground, she retracted into a fetal position. Tears freely falling and leaving iced trails down her face. Her silent cries turned into fully audible sobs as she hugged as much of herself as she could.

"I don't want to be alone anymore. Don't leave me here. Don't let me go. I don't want to be let go. Don't leave me alone. Please don't let me go…."

Her delicate form shook more than ever. She didn't know what to do. Didn't know how to process the delusion her mind had created to fill the void of her isolation. In all her years of servitude and abandonment, she had never experienced this before.

She was losing it.

That's what it was, wasn't it? She was lost. Her heart and soul, her mind was lost. Everything that made her who she was, was lost. All of it. Gone. She wasn't Aura, the Asgardian palace servant who loved Loki anymore. She wasn't even on Asgard. Hadn't been for an amount of time she couldn't even comprehend. She wasn't working in the palace; she didn't even have any serving duties here.

And she didn't have Loki. Most importantly, she didn't have Loki. He didn't know where she was. Didn't know where Odin had banished her to. There was no way he could find her when she was underground in a base she was sure hid itself all too well. He couldn't find her, couldn't get to her.

She was lost. And she didn't think she would ever be found.


	8. Chapter 8

"Good morning, Aura."

The Asgardian lifted her head just enough to view the door as she sat in the corner of her room with her knees drawn up to her chin. Mr. Stark greeted her. If it physically was Mr. Stark. She sighed through her nose and buried her head back into her arms.

She didn't know how long it had been since her hallucination of Loki coming to save her. Frankly, she didn't care to know. It only saddened her heart to think about what happened. And it filled her with fear. She had never lost control of her mind in such a way. Not that she ever put much thought into controlling her mind, but still.

Her stomach knotted, and she withdrew further into her corner. She had hardly eaten since her delusional encounter. Hardly slept. She was afraid to sleep. Afraid to sleep in case she slipped back into a distorted reality.

Howard's white brows furrowed as he crossed the room. Placing a hand on his thigh, he gently lowered himself down to one knee. "Aura, are you alright? Where's my greeting hug?"

She shook her head.

He put a hand on her shoulder. "Did something happen? Did Fury do something to you?"

More head shaking. She stayed silent.

"Aura, I'm going to take you to do a physical assessment, okay? I know I'm not that kind of doctor, but I can see how tall you are, in the very least. The director said he hadn't seen you in a month, so he wanted me to check up on you."

Now she lifted her head fully. A month? It had only been a month of isolation, and she had already gone crazy? This didn't bode well for her psyche.

Howard smiled, even if her expression held nothing but sorrow. "There's those beautiful blue eyes. Come on, let's get you out and about for a little bit." Carefully rising, he held out a hand.

Aura stared at it, but she didn't move. She thought she had taken another's hand before, and it turned out to be false. Even though she thought she felt the sensation of flesh. She honestly couldn't tell if this Mr. Stark was real or imaginary.

"Are you sure nothing happened? Why are you refusing to speak to me? Please, take my hand."

She continued staring at the offered hand. What if this version of him was real? She did want to get out of her room. She was happy to see a familiar face, but she just didn't know if she could trust what her eyes thought was in front of her.

Howard partially frowned. "It's not going to bite. Why aren't you responding to me? Did Fury tell you something horrible about me?"

Her gaze found his. The new director didn't have much to say about Mr. Stark. And she wondered if there was much to say about him. He may be a man of science. However, he only wanted to learn more about the world and do what he could to improve it. He was a good man at heart.

"Please take my hand, Aura."

She finally gave in. Allowed one of her slender hands to rest in Howard's wrinkled one.

He smiled. "See? You know you don't have to fear me. Come on, let's get you out of here."

Aura's heart stopped. That's what Loki kept repeating. The organ suddenly beat fast. This wasn't real, was it? This was another hallucination, another nightmare. Her eyes found the door as they walked towards it. She wasn't getting out. She was only being led astray. Her breath held.

Closer and closer the open doorway approached. But she had perceived it as open once before. Consequently smacking into it in the process.

She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting to have a face full of hard, cold metal. Yet, it never came. She could see the change of light through her eyelids. One eye opened. Then the other. She was walking through the corridor with Mr. Stark. And she didn't realize she had clung to his arm.

Howard paused for a moment. "Are you alright? Were you afraid to come out of your room?"

Her eyes searched the hall. Glanced over her shoulder as the door to her room closed. Returned back to the older man beside her. She detached herself from him, although, she didn't release his hand. Blinked a few times.

He studied her briefly before returning to leading her to the testing wing.

Aura found herself having to vividly force each leg to take a step forward. Her mind had shifted. She no longer feared she might be living a false perception. No. Now, she feared the reality. She had walked this long hall many times before, and every single time, it held pain, suffering. No hope of death.

Her grip tightened. She had thought the experimentation days were over. Thought they had everything they needed to know about her powers—all those talks of reverse engineering and other science terms she didn't know the meaning to. Didn't they have enough information?

The Colonel wasn't even around anymore. Was this under the orders of Director Fury? Did he lie? Did this new council actually know about her and wanted more from her? She didn't think she had any more left to give. What else could they possibly do to her?

There was one thing she could never replicate. She couldn't turn back into the crimson monstrosity. Even when she tried. Even when they subjected her to extreme duress, she couldn't bring that side of her out by will.

Had they found something else to try on her? Discovered a new means of cruelty? A new way to humiliate her?

The one time she transformed, she didn't realize the implications of changing back to her normal form. The embers that spread across her skin had also eaten through her clothing. Once she returned to her natural state, she had been left naked. And she had been left there, alone on the floor until Peggy came to her aid.

Thankfully, no one had taken advantage of her vulnerable condition. At least, not that she remembered. But she thought she would know if something had happened. Peggy most likely would've shot them.

After her incident, Mr. Stark designed a special jumpsuit for her to wear. It was supposed to be fire-resistant. Another reason why for the testing. He had wanted to make sure the material would stay even through her hottest flames. And she had produced some very high temperatures. However, she still feared the moment she would turn again. She didn't need to be a scientist to know her demonic form had been much fiercer than any fire forged from her hands. Most likely, she would be exposed again. On a positive note, no one mentioned it, and she was more than thankful.

She looked up at Mr. Stark. He didn't seem sad or filled with regret. He seemed…normal. Happy, even. Was this not going to lead to another experiment? Was everything going to be fine for once?

That would be the real fantasy.

Howard led her into the area with the sub-room Aura was too familiar with. Went to the computer and turned it on. "I really don't know why I need all of this to record simple measurements. But, here we are."

Aura's sight never left the temperature-controlled room. Jaw setting and releasing. What was she supposed to do? What else could they have her do? It wasn't the fear of nude shame her jumpsuit hid. It covered recent scars, too.

He followed her gaze then stepped in front of her with his hands in pockets. "I promise you, I'm not putting you back in there. I haven't known Fury for long, but he's not sadistic like the Colonel. You're going to be okay."

She heard what he said, but she didn't process it right away. He may have blocked her sight, but she knew what was on the other side of him. Her eyes looked straight through him.

His tone deepened to get her attention. "Aura, look at me. You're not going in there. I promise."

Her eyes snapped up to meet his, startled by his change in voice.

"Listen to me. You're not going back in there. Do you trust me?"

She nodded.

"Good." He pulled his hands out of his pockets, but he kept one balled. "I brought you a gift."

Her brows knitted. Why would he bring her something? She had nothing to give him in return.

He opened his fist to reveal a necklace with a small round pendant.

Aura looked at it then him. "Why are you giving me this?"

Smiling at finally hearing her voice, he clasped the necklace around her. "I want you to see this as a symbol of hope. But it's also so I can show off my new project I'm working on." He winked.

Her mouth allowed a small grin.

Howard grabbed a measuring tape and put one end right under her toes. "That is an incredibly tiny version of what will one day be a large source of clean energy. Enough to power a whole corporation. I call it the Arc Reactor."

She used a finger to lift up the pendant. It was a kind of blue stone wrapped around the outside with copper wire. "Arc Reactor?"

"Yes. I have great plans for it. If I have anything to leave to my name, I want it to be that. And, of course, Tony, but I want my legacy work to be clean energy. No nonsense of the War or what came after. Just the Arc Reactor."

"How is Tony?"

The inventor paused, his expression softening. "Well, he's…he's becoming a young adult now, and he doesn't quite see everything as I would've hoped. But he's close to Maria, so at least he has her."

Aura frowned with concern. "But he has you, too. You tell me all the time about what you do together. Does he not understand why you work? That you work for him?"

He sighed, shaking his head. "No. He doesn't see it that way. Unfortunately, he thinks I abandon him for my job. I don't know how to get him to see otherwise."

"I'm sure you'll be able to get him turn around. You'll see."

"I really wish he could meet you. Maybe some of your compassion would rub off on him."

She offered a sincere smile. "I don't think you need my help. He probably just needs time."

Howard examined her for a bit. Finally looked at the measuring tape. "Well, you're still five feet, eight inches. Don't know why Fury thinks you'll grow anymore. Let's get your weight."

Her feet didn't have to be told to step on the scale across the room. She had done this many times.

He frowned. "You've lost ten pounds. You're only 105. Have you been eating?"

She froze. "A little."

"What's going on? You were strange when I came to get you."

"I-I would rather not talk about it. But it has nothing to do with Director Fury. I had a bad dream is all. It's hard for me eat a lot when I'm stressed."

Stark studied her long and hard. "I think you should tell me about it, but I know not to push sensitive matters. Maria taught me that. However, do you think you might have the courage to tell me the next time I visit? Fury says he has a project he's working on and doesn't know when he'll be able to come by next, so I'm sort of his stand-in."

Aura gave a slight nod. "I can try." She wanted the conversation to go elsewhere, though. "How much time do you have to spend with me today?"

"Oh, I've got another couple hours or so."

She grinned, happy to have prolonged company. "Can you tell me more about your Arc Reactor project?"

His eyes lit up as he directed her to the bench by the door. Excitedly explained his plans and the many possible futures for the project.

Many of the words flew over Aura's understanding, but she was just happy to see Mr. Stark happy. And the time flew by quicker than she would've liked. But she accepted it. Made sure she gave him an extra goodbye hug and thanked him probably too many times for the necklace.

She didn't want to see him go. She missed having someone to talk to. However, she remained light-hearted for his sake, so as not to burden him with her trivial problems. And she wanted him to enjoy their time together. Besides, she would see him again soon.

Or so she thought. She had no way of understanding this was the last time she would see Howard Stark.


	9. Chapter 9

_*Author's Note: I am so sorry for the delay of this chapter! I've had an extremely busy and exhausting week. I wrote only a few lines a day, so I apologize in advance if this seems disjointed or slightly out of place compared to the rest of the story. Thanks, everyone, for your patience and continued support, and I hope you enjoy!*_

* * *

 ** _1990s [Exact year known only by S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury]_**

 ** _North America [Exact location known only by S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury]_**

Aura stared at the ceiling of her cold cell room, fiddling with the Arc Reactor pendant on her necklace. Her head slowly turned to the door as she heard it open. She honestly couldn't tell anymore what was real and what was made fictional by her mind. She found it best just to go along with any scenario her brain conjured.

How many times had Loki come to save her? She stopped counting after the 150th occurrence. There was no use in keeping track anymore. The times she saw Director Fury were so few and far between, she assumed all the interactions with him were real. She didn't know why she would hallucinate that man anyway. He wasn't very empathetic.

The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. stood in the doorway.

She squinted against the light. "Another interview?"

"No, actually. I'm afraid there's a possibility this base has been compromised. I'm transporting you to a new location."

Aura blanked. A new location? Well, this was…new.

Fury stepped inside the room, holding a pair of specialized handcuffs made especially for the Asgardian. "You'll be needing these."

Her eyes closed. She really didn't want to go through a transportation phase again. And the last time she did it was back when the S.S.R. originally found her. It wasn't fun then, and she didn't think it would be fun now. In all honesty, she would rather they drug her. Then she could wake up in the new location without the hassle of feeling like a caged animal.

With a deep breath, she rose and offered her wrists. Habitually winced when the cold hit her hands. Her fingernails still hadn't recovered. They remained black. Although, they no longer hurt. That had passed some time ago.

The director pulled a strip of cloth from inside his trench coat. "You're going to have to be blindfolded. Where we're going, only I know the place of. I've got a select number of hidden bases set up around the world. I'm taking you to one."

"Will there be someone in there with me?"

"If I allow someone to be stationed there, I will hand-pick them myself."

She turned around to be blindfolded, so he couldn't see her frown. If he allowed someone to be stationed at the new location? If? So there was a good chance she could end up at the new place alone? Would she have run of the new location? So she could feed herself? That could be interesting. But she would rather be trapped in a cell and have even a silent guard interacting with her twice a day than complete isolation.

The director tied the blindfold around her. "It did cross my mind to transport you while you're unconscious, but once we get in the air, I figured we could take the blindfold off and let you sightsee for a short time. Even though you'll have no idea what direction we'll be traveling."

Her slightly pointed ears piqued at his words. "Really?"

"After all you've been through, you deserve some fresh air. And we'll be flying over countryside, so you'll have a view."

Aura relaxed her shoulders. Perhaps this transportation wouldn't be as bad as the last time. As little as Director Fury came to visit her, he was being extremely nice.

"Can you follow the sound of my voice?"

She blinked underneath the dark cloth. "Uh, I'm not sure. I've never had to do that before."

Fury studied the half elf. Sighed. "You won't have to." He took her elbow and gently led her through the underground compound. "We're about to enter the hangar. The helicopter is waiting, so it will be louder than what you're used to. Have you been on a helicopter before?"

"No. Is…is it safe?"

"Yes, we'll be safe. It's just going to be us, and I'm flying with the latest cloaking, so we won't be shot out of the sky."

Her jaw set. Shot out of the sky? They could be shot out of the sky? That didn't seem very safe. But she didn't have time to think any more about it because Director Fury took her into the hanger. She made an exclamation and sunk her head in between her shoulders in an attempt to cover her ears without the use of her hands.

The whining engine and another reverberating sound she couldn't identify filled the small hanger space and echoed with ferocity.

The director put an arm around her shoulders and guided her into the chopper against the wind the blades caused. Placed her in a seat and strapped her in, making sure to tightly slide the door shut. Then put a headset on her. Hopping into the pilot's seat, he repeated the process for himself and spoke into the headset mouthpiece. "Hold on to your butts."

Aura startled at his voice coming directly into her ears and instinctively tried grabbing something for support. However, she was reminded of the cuffs around her hands as she couldn't grasp anything. So she resorted to pressing her arms against her chest and pressing the rest of her body into the seat for stability.

Especially when the helicopter lurched upwards and slowly began its ascension. She wanted to look around her to see what was going on, but the blindfold only allowed her to see darkness. Her breath held as she pressed her arms against her more.

Fury remained silent until they were in the air for some time. At least, until he made sure her sense of direction would be confused. "How you doing back there?"

The Asgardian had been breathing through her mouth in attempt to keep herself calm. And startled once again at the deep voice coming through the headset. "I feel kind of sick, actually."

"Changes in elevation. You'll get used to it. Is this your first time flying?"

"On Midgard, yes. I don't know if the Bifrost would be considered flying or not. That made me sick, too. I guess I have a weak constitution."

"I don't know about that. Some people are more sensitive to pressure changes than others. Here, this may help." He locked in the tilt and speed of the chopper and unbuckled his harness. Swiftly moved back and took off her blindfold. "I'm going to leave the door shut, but at least you can look out the window now."

Aura blinked at the sudden flood of light then looked at the director, her vision slowly focusing. Her eyes widened. "Director Fury, who's flying the helicopter?"

He chuckled. "We're going in a straight line, so I have the controls locked in. But I'll return to my seat now. We'll be getting close to mountains soon. For now, enjoy the view down below."

She eyed him as he returned to the little section she assumed was for the drivers. Heart still pounding at the thought of this craft spiraling out of control. She swallowed. Yes, she may have some form of invulnerability here, but she didn't know if that meant she would be safe from falling at this height. And Director Fury surely wouldn't survive.

How high were they? She peered out the window to her right. Gasped with delight.

Green grass and various trees sped by underneath them on undulating hills. She pressed against the glass to further see the details, even if most were blurred by motion and distance. However, it didn't matter anyway, as the lush green landscape suddenly gave way to a sea of blue. Deep blue similar to her eyes.

Another gasp, and she turned to view the director in his driver's seat in the special recess. "That's not the ocean, is it?"

Fury glanced behind him. "No. Those are the Great Lakes. Do you know where the Great Lakes are?"

She looked back out the window. "No. I've never heard of them."

"Good. You know, we haven't talked much about this Bifrost. Why don't you tell me about it while you're enjoying the few? Should help you stay focused on something than other how you're feeling."

Aura nodded, smiling at the water down below. "The Bifrost is also called the Rainbow Bridge. It works both ways, but you have to go through Heimdall. He's Asgard's Guardian and controls the Bifrost. He sees everything that happens in the Nine Realms."

"Everything?"

"Everything. He has a special sight. And I suppose some type of higher understanding if he can process it all at once."

"Has he been able to see you?"

Her head tilted, and she grew quite for a few moments. "I've assumed so, but he has his orders. He didn't want to banish me, but again, orders."

Fury gave a nod. "I know those all too well. How does the Bifrost work? Do you know?"

"Heimdall has a giant sword he puts in this mechanism-type thing. Then he turns it, and the Bifrost shoots to the desired location. I'm not sure if he controls the location with his mind, or if the mechanism is able to direct it somehow. But the Bifrost shoots out of a giant spire needle thing."

He chuckled at her lack of knowledge of proper terms for something she was familiar with. "And do you simply walk across the Rainbow Bridge?"

"Oh, no. You step through the gateway, and it blasts you through space to your designated location. It can be nauseating if you're not accustomed to it. And they warn you all the time about not falling out of the Bifrost stream. Apparently, you can end up in strange places and times. I don't know if that's true or not, but I wouldn't want to find out."

"The Bifrost shoots you through space?"

"Uh-huh" She pointed, excited breath fogging up the window. "What is that all the way down there? There's a little white speck down on the Great Lakes."

The S.H.I.E.L.D. director looked out over the instrument panel before him. "Most likely a boat. People enjoying their day on the water."

"Can they see us?"

"If they could, they wouldn't pay us any attention. Aircraft fly over this area all the time. They're used to it. Either way, they're not going to mind because they're busy doing their own activities."

Aura looked back at him and nodded. Remained quiet for a couple hours. Enjoying the beautiful scenery. She didn't mind the silence because she kept herself occupied with the landscapes, remembering every detail so she could think back upon them later. For when the illusions would plague her mind. At least she would know this was real.

She could create a safe place with the imagery flying by. Yes, she remembered Asgard and its splendor, but that was so long ago. Faded and fragmented memories. This would be fresh, new. She couldn't tear this apart in her mind. It was what she hoped, anyway.

Nick Fury's voice eventually came over the headset again. "Another thing we haven't discussed is this mysterious figure you call Loki."

Her eyes snapped forward, and she froze. "Do we need to?"

"If you find him important, I think we ought to."

"I…" She didn't want to lie that she didn't care about him, but she didn't know how to get out of this conversation. "I don't know that we need to talk about him."

His one-eyed gaze wandered over his shoulder. "If I remember correctly, when you first mentioned him back in the 40s, you infer he's one of the most powerful beings in the universe. You don't want to explain why you claim that?"

Aura bit her bottom lip. "I promised myself I wouldn't betray him. I don't want to go into detail about him."

The director exhaled hard through his nose. "Could he find you if he wanted to?"

"I don't know."

"Would his abilities be impeded by our technology? Because it seems like Asgard relies more on magic than science."

She hugged herself. "I don't know if he could find me or not." Her eyes squeezed shut, and her mind played all the times of her hallucinations over and over.

"You obviously protect him because you're attached to him, dare I say love him. Does he return your affection? Because I would be looking for my long-banished love if I had his power."

"I said I don't know," she cried much louder than intended. Hot tears slowly rolled down her cheeks, her voice turning into a whimper. "I…I don't know."

Fury locked in the controls again and ducked out of the cockpit to sit in the seat across from her. "Has this Loki hurt you?"

Looking up, her eyes widened. "What? No! No, Loki has never hurt me. Not my Loki."

"Then why does he make you so upset? Is it because he hasn't come for you yet?"

Her gaze returned to metal plating floor. "I don't want him to come to Midgard. People like the Colonel will hurt him. I can't let him be hurt because of me."

He rose his left brow. "Aura, I'm a spy. I know how to read people's emotions and understand what they're feeling. And I know there's more to this you're not telling me. So. What are you trying to avoid?"

She glanced at him. "I-I don't know if I can talk about it."

"Yes, you can. Do you want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you have survived on this God-forsaken planet all this time. You've withstood abominations such as the Colonel. You somehow continue to put others' needs above your own. Your greatest weakness? Not having confidence in your own strength. Whatever you've been dealing with on your own, you can tell me about it. It's nice to get things off your chest every once in a while, believe me."

The Asgardian took a deep breath as she clutched the Arc Reactor pendant, but it didn't stop her tears. "My time alone, it's been driving my mind mad. I've been having hallucinations, and, and I keep thinking they're real, but they're not. And I've had so many, it's been hard for me to tell what's real and what's not."

The director studied her in quiet for a bit. Looked out the cockpit window. "We're at the area where I need to blindfold you again. But I'll see if I can find someone I trust to be assigned to the base. I'll also do some research on a few things for the next time I'll be able to visit you. For now," he held out the strip of cloth.

Aura nodded and shifted enough so he could tie the blindfold around her once more. Listened to him return to his seat and take control back over the helicopter. Sat in silence, in stillness for the rest of the flight.

She had hoped Director Fury would have some insight or at least some advice regarding her misperceptions, but maybe it was for the best he didn't. Part of her wondered if she deserved this fate after all this time. Perhaps a servant loving a royal was a universal crime that even destiny decided to punish.

Her acceptance of this new grim outlook didn't change when the dark-skinned man told her they were descending. Hadn't changed when the helicopter came to an abrupt stop and turned off. Nor when he helped her out of the aircraft.

Fury led her down a series of hallways and put her in a new room. One that actually wasn't cold this time. He removed her blindfold and handcuffs. "Welcome to Providence."

Aura's eyes barely scanned the updated room. Providence. It was one of those words which held multiple meanings, had multiple connotations depending on the way it was used. Ironic one of its meanings could be fate.

He noticed the despondent look in the back of her deep eyes. Sighed. "I'll have someone here within two days at the latest. I can promise you that. As far as your hallucinations go, I need to do some research before I'm able to help you. I know how they work, but I'm not sure if your mind is physically different than ours. I may see Agent Carter. Would you like me to say anything to her for you?"

Her gaze snapped to him. "No."

"Are you sure?" When he didn't receive an answer, he headed for the cell door. "Very well. I need to visit Tahiti. I'll be back when I can."

She watched every step he took toward the door, heart pounding. "Wait!" Running up to him, she grabbed his black trench coat for extra effort. "Tell her I miss her. Please. And that I love her. She was like a mother to me."

He gave a nod. "Of course."

"Thank you."

With another nod, he left.

Her nostrils flared at the hiss of the door. It mocked her. This new door jeered at her plight. But her shoulders dropped as she moved to the bed and sat rigidly upon it. Rubbed her wrists where the cuffs had been.

In a way, it almost made this life more bearable. Viewing it as a punishment for her horrendous crimes of love.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Asgard**_

 _ **Thor's Coronation Day**_

Loki stood before the mirror in his room, combing back his hair so it laid flat against his head. Took a deep breath. His beloved had preferred his hair differently. She liked it free flowing because it would get its "cute waves," as she called them before. However, the slicked back style was what pleased Odin. He had hoped if he did everything in his power to regain the approval of the Allfather, she would be brought back from exile.

His all must not have been enough. Thor had been chosen to be the next in line, not him. But he couldn't hold too much resentment toward his brother. The blonde buffoon knew nothing of politics, only battle. He was sure Thor was exhilarated at the honor, but it wasn't the thunder god who made the final decision regarding his crowning.

It was Odin. Odin was the only one around here to make any kind of decision.

He stared at himself in the mirror, sadness swirling within his emerald eyes. What had he done that wasn't enough? He studied every scroll, book, and piece of text he could get his hands on. Learned all that he could concerning his magic. He could even fight just as well as Thor. Granted, he used different tactics, but their skill levels were the same. The only thing Thor was good at was destroying things with his hammer and being obnoxious.

Did his father really resent him so? Had it been such a crime to fall in love with a mere servant girl? He had found no law regarding such matters, but Odin had quickly made one thereafter. Why did conflicting social statuses make such a significance?

Love was love, regardless of designated classes.

Sighing, he picked up his gold helmet and stared at it. What else could he have done? What else should he have done? He didn't know where Odin sent her, and every time he asked Heimdall, he received the same, "I cannot tell you," answer. It drove him mad. Of course the Gatekeeper of Asgard would give him the perfect soldier response.

The more he looked at his helmet, the more it only looked back at him with its usual emptiness.

She never got to see him in all his regalia before. He had been excited for a royal event where he could walk out in full ceremonial dress and watch her giggle at him from where the servants stood. He loved making her giggle, whether she did it from amusement or embarrassment.

Her laughter echoed in his mind. He thought about her every day. Thought of the day she was so cruelly ripped from him every night before he slept. No amount of pleading, explanation, or protest would change the Allfather's mind. Not even his magic could save her. It was one of the reasons why he took such pride in advancing his powers so much.

It had crossed his thoughts before he might find her dead whenever he could find her. But it was something he had always quickly pushed out of his mind. Even though she had been raised in the serving class, she would be more than capable to take care of herself. He needed to believe she was still alive, waiting for him to find her. He needed to find her.

The only unfortunate thing was he hardly had the chance to leave Asgard without raising suspicion. He left with Thor and the Warrior's Three, of course, but even still, it was difficult for him to step aside from the group without Sif noticing. There was a part of him that despised that woman. The Bifrost wasn't an option; Heimdall saw to that. And while he had found secret passages leading to other Realms, it was hard to be gone for long without having some sense of direction.

Because then Odin noticed. Over the years, he found it was far more beneficial to please his father rather than disobey him. However, he was starting to become desperate, and he was willing to do anything to get his beloved back. Death was even option at this point. Whether it be to him or to somebody else.

A light knock rapped on of the gilded doors to his room.

He glanced over his shoulder, awakened from his contemplations. "Who dares to disturb me?"

"Your mother dares to disturb you." Frigga opened the door and stepped in. Her beautiful yellow gown accenting her blue eyes. Her celebratory and even snarky manner soon diminished, however. A frown forming. "What bothers you, my son?"

Loki's jaw set as he looked back at the horned helmet in his hands.

The Queen approached. "Are you upset Thor was chosen instead of you?"

"In a way. You and I both know he isn't ready to be king."

"Your father thinks he's ready. And we know he's typically right in his judgements."

His voice sliced the still air. "Is he?"

Frigga straightened, her gaze hardening. "We also both know Thor is the first born. Technically, the crown falls to him, regardless of how ready he may or may not be."

He glanced up at her reflection in the mirror. "But we both know I'm much more qualified than he is."

She studied him in the mirror. Her azure eyes searching him deeply. "What is this really about? You know you can't hide your true feelings from me. Not with my lineage."

His nostrils flared with a deep breath, and he remained quiet. Thumb rubbing the designs etched on the side of his helmet.

Frigga went to his bed. Lifted the emerald cape off it and returned to her youngest son. Secured the ends of the cape underneath his golden armor, watching his expression in the mirror. "Is the reason for your distress little Aura, not the coronation?"

"Yes." Loki closed his eyes. "I thought…I thought if I could prove myself, perhaps she would be forgiven and allowed to return. Or maybe I could be the next in line, so I could order her return."

Her brows knitted as she smoothed the fabric of his green mantle. "There's a still a chance your father will change his mind. Or maybe Thor can undo her banishment once he's crowned?"

"Why couldn't you have done anything about her exile when it was happening? She was technically listed under the care of your handmaidens. You could've stopped it. Why didn't you?"

"You know why."

He turned around to face her. "But it wasn't a law then. There was absolutely no law stating that a member of the royal family couldn't fall in love with a servant. You know this."

She sighed. "I do. But you also know I tried reasoning with him. Tried convincing him she was but an innocent child, and there was nothing wrong with the affections shared between the both of you. Once Odin's mind is made up, no one can change it. Not even me, I'm afraid."

Loki nodded. His ebony brows furrowed, and he dropped his gaze.

Frigga placed both of her hands on either side of his face and gently lifted his head. "We will find a way, I promise you. Somehow, we'll bring her back. But for now, we need to go attend the ceremony. We'll be in worse trouble if we don't, and I know you know this, as well."

He gave another nod. Although, he refused to look happy about the situation.

Taking the helmet from him, she smiled and placed it on his head. "You are so handsome." She caressed the side of his face in typical motherly fashion. "No matter what happens, you are still a prince. You are still royalty. But most importantly, you will forever be my son, yes?"

His cheekbones became more predominate when a grin crept across his features. "Yes. I will always be your son."

One of her golden brows rose, and she slightly pursed her lips. "Good. Because I think you would kill me if you decided you weren't. Now, let's go to the coronation hall before anyone gets suspicious, and we have to come up with a scheme to direct their attention elsewhere."

He followed her through the halls of the grand palace in silence. Oh, he had a scheme, alright. If it went according to plan, it would steal the attention of everyone attending the coronation, especially his father's. Thor wasn't ready to be king, and he would prove to the whole of Asgard why.

"Loki," a familiar voice called.

His eyes rolled as his mother smiled at him and left him to deal with his older brother alone. However, he turned around with a pleasant expression. "Thor."

The thunder god grinned. "I wished to speak with you before the ceremony. Would you care to indulge me?"

Loki rose a brow. There was something about Thor's demeanor that was…off. He didn't seem quite as confident as he normally portrayed himself. Perhaps his brother was having doubts about becoming Asgard's ruler? He could only hope. "Of course."

Thor inclined his head and led his sibling to a wing off to the side of the coronation hall. Downing a goblet of wine, smashing it on the floor. "Another!" Then he took Loki to the other side of a fire raging in a pit in the middle of the room, so they could look out across Asgard. Sighed.

The god of mischief stopped next to his brother and clasped his hands in front of him. Glanced at the blonde. "Are you nervous?"

"Me? Nervous? I would think not. When have I ever been nervous?"

"Well—"

"I do not think you need to answer that question."

Loki smirked. "There was that time on Vanaheim. Shall I elaborate further?"

Thor puffed out his chest. "That was not nervousness. It was simply the heat of battle, emotions of battle. Nothing else."

"Oh, I'm sure." He studied his brother from corners of his eyes. Despite the confidence his brother now displayed, he still seemed tense. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad. His sibling had the tendency to act as a cornered beast when his felt anxious.

"Brother," Thor's tone softened, "do you think I'm ready?"

Loki immediately wanted to rattle off a sarcastic quip, but there was something about Thor's sudden sincerity that made him pause. His brother was seeking his true opinions, his advice. This calling off to the side made sense now. His brother sought comfort. But he sneered, regardless. He couldn't let him down. "You know I will always say no."

Thor turned to him and smiled. "That I do know."

"But do not mistake my enviousness for hatred. I will always love you, and you will always have my support." He would still enact his plan, but it was for Thor's benefit. The big lug didn't know what it would take to be king, and he would be severely overwhelmed. He was ultimately still looking out for his brother's best interests.

He considered his younger brother's words. "Despite your tricks, you have never led me astray. Ah," he regarded a servant bringing in a tray with a fresh goblet.

Loki grinned to himself and discreetly waved a hand.

Three green and black snakes hissed, emerging from the cup.

Gasping, the servant dropped the tray and scurried backwards.

Thor laughed heartily before giving Loki a disapproving look. "That was such a waste of fine wine."

The mischief maker gave his signature grin. "Oh, come now, brother. You love my tricks." With the flick of his wrist, he made the snakes turn back into the spilled wine on the floor.

He shook his head. "You did always know how to amuse me. But seriously, how do I look?"

Loki paused. Thor truly desired his encouragement before he paraded himself in front of Asgard. He set aside his pride and tendency for cynicism. Allowed a genuine smile. "Like a king."

Thor brightened and smiled in turn. "Thank you, brother. You go on ahead."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I-I need a few more moments to collect my thoughts."

He knew his sibling actually needed a few more moments to recollect his self-assurance. So he inclined his head. Watched Thor put on his new helmet. "I see you've gone for the shiny look. Nice feathers."

Thor playfully shoved him forward. "You are the one who looks like a goat. Get out before I have to escort you with my hammer."

Loki smirked again and ascended the stairs into the coronation hall. Amused by those who donned their best attire for this event. He made his way through the gathered to take his place on the right side of Odin, between his mother and the Lady Sif. Avoided looking at the back where the servants were allowed to stand.

Frigga smiled at her youngest. "I assume you had a good chat with Thor by the reassumed mischievousness in your eyes."

"I made fun of him, yes."

Her eyes twinkled, as well, and she returned to her queenly state.

Sif glared at the raven-haired prince. "As long as you have nothing up your sleeves this time."

Loki gave her a side-long glance, but he didn't give her the satisfaction of a response. Just as she had never been fond of him, he had never been fond of her. Especially since he first realized her crush on his brother. She may be good on the battlefield, but he found her demeanor lacking when it came to care for Thor.

But he ignored the warrior woman for the time being and turned his attention to the rest of hall taking their places and the soldiers forming the line down which Thor would travel. He never once acknowledged his father. He wouldn't give Odin that satisfaction, either.


	11. Chapter 11

The coronation grew silent in anticipation as the most perfect of faint breezes blew in through the pillars. The weather was always wonderful in Asgard unless Thor decided to throw one of his stormy tantrums. Today would not be such a day.

Odin looked around with his sole eye, his grip tightening on his spear.

Loki threw an unnoticed glance at his father. His brother loved to make entrances and would certainly arrive with some amount of flair about him. Even though the Allfather had made it a point many times to tell his oldest how a king should properly enter a celebration. Thor never listened.

He adjusted his hands clasped in front him and shifted his weight slightly. Barely making the ends of his cape flutter. This was yet another reason the thunder god wasn't ready to be king. Thor preferred childish action to reason and reliability.

At least he knew when such a lavish entrance was appropriate. Not that he would get the chance to show off his knowledge now. His tongue ran around the insides of his mouth. He could feel his father's impatience even from the step he occupied.

Frigga cleared her throat as murmurs spread throughout the gathered.

The Warrior's Three, standing across from the two royals and Lady Sif all stared at Loki, who had been the last to see Thor.

The mischief maker caught their gazes and shrugged enough for them to see. He wasn't the reason Thor hadn't arrived yet. He would be stupid if he tried dismantling Thor's new title before the ceremony had begun.

Sif glanced back to the Queen in an almost apologetic manner.

Frigga smiled at her, but she had the ire of a mother's wrath swirling within her bright eyes.

Right before the bulk of the crowd became antsy, Mjolnir flew up from the lower chambers, rising toward the high ceiling of the long hall.

Thor strode up the steps. As he walked past the beginning of the population, he called his hammer to him. Dropped to one knee and catching the weapon behind his back. He spun around while he rose. Then flipped Mjolnir into the air before thrusting it upwards in a victorious manner.

The whole of Asgard mightily roared at the arrival of their would-be king.

Loki rolled his eyes when his brother beckoned the crowd to cheer louder for him. What had happened to the lack of confidence earlier? The supposed nerves? Then again, Thor always knew how to pad his ego with the adoration of the civilization.

Those on the coronation hall throne's dais could hear a slight growl coming from the Allfather until Frigga shot him a placating expression.

The god of mischief smiled to himself. Pleased with Odin's displeasure of the blonde lug.

Thor continued through the line of soldiers, raising his arms and accepting all manner of vocal praise from his people. He yelled back at them. Commemorating them for their acknowledgments.

"Oh, please," Sif murmured as a touch of blush graced her cheeks.

Loki looked down at her with invisible indignation. She may have sounded annoyed, but he knew she liked whenever Thor put himself on display. Such coddling would only ruin his hot-headed brother more. Thor needed a woman who could humble him, not embrace his ego.

Then he caught his brother's gaze for a brief moment. Thor smiled at him with a happiness he hadn't seen in some time. But his brother relished in any kind of applause. However, there was also a hint of gratefulness in his expression.

He blinked. Was Thor still seeking approval from him? This was odd. Although he would have to see how long the gesture would last. For now, he would accept it. He inclined his head.

Thor stopped his one man parade at the base of the steps leading up to the throne. Removed his helmet and placed it on the floor after he knelt to one knee. Let Mjolnir fall to rest on its head. He caught his mother's proud gaze and winked at her. Chuckling when he received a stern look. Then he turned to his father. The grin fading from his features.

Odin stared at his son as he slightly lifted his spear and smacked it on the ground with a deafening _boom!_ His gaze never left the firstborn as the last of the crowd's cheers echoed throughout the pillars. He had control of the hall.

Loki still noticed the irritation subtly etched in his father's features. No, wait. There was something else there, too. Fatigue, maybe? If he was to be honest with himself, he didn't know why the Allfather had chosen this specific time to crown an heir. This had come out of the blue. Had his father fallen ill?

The reigning king of Asgard lifted the spear again. This time without the reverberating sound. Spoke with natural authority as he turned his gaze to his royal weapon. "Gungnir. With it, I have defended Asgard and the lives of the innocents across the Nine Realms since the Great Beginning. Though the day has come for a new king to wield his own weapon, the duty remains the same. Thor Odinson is my heir, my firstborn."

Thor grinned up at his father.

Loki dropped his gaze to the step he stood on, his lips forming a thin line. The one thing that bothered him the most was that while Thor was the firstborn and technical first heir, he still wasn't qualified for the position being handed to him on a golden throne.

Odin continued. "You have been entrusted with the hammer Mjolnir, forged in the heart of a dying star with the sacred metal of Uru. Only one who is worthy may lift it. Its power has no equal as it controls the lightning and the storm. It can be a weapon to destroy or a tool to build. Truly a fit companion for a king."

The dark haired son of Odin couldn't help but roll his eyes. Mjolnir was never used for building. All Thor cared about was how many enemies he could destroy at one time with his hammer. He forgot how painful this ceremony would be. Not painful to his own pride, but painful with the amount of irony in the speeches.

The Allfather returned his singular regard to Thor. "You have been chosen with the greatest honor in all the Realms: the sacred throne of Asgard. I have sacrificed a great deal to maintain peace. Now a new generation must sacrifice to maintain that peace. Responsibility, duty, and honor are essential to every soldier and king."

A below-average temperature breeze swept through the hall. Its cold nature keeping it lingering along the floor.

Loki's gaze lifted, and he grinned to himself. His plan was about to be taken into effect. Sure, it may be an elaborate ruse only to point out the major flaw in his brother's personality, but it would be worth the effort once it was all said and done. Then he could be king and restore his beloved to Asgard.

Thor may have cared for the servants more than Odin, but he still saw them as beneath him. That was why Loki didn't think his brother would bring Aura back. In fact, the thunder god knew nothing of the situation. Didn't know his baby brother had fallen in love and then his love had been banished. Loki knew Thor would react in one of two ways if and when he found out: righteous anger for his brother or a lifetime of mockery. He would rather not take the chance for scorn and save Aura himself.

Odin didn't seem to notice the gathered rubbing their arms for warmth as he remained fixed on his eldest. "Thor Odinson, do you swear to guard the Nine Realms?"

The wielder of Mjolnir beamed. "I swear."

"Do you swear to preserve the peace I have established?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to cast away all selfish ambition and pledge yourself only to the good of the Nine Realms?"

Thor's tone strengthened. "I swear."

"Then, on this day, I, Odin the Allfather proclaim you…" Odin stopped himself, looking down at his left while the rest of the hall was preoccupied with ice crawling over the banners above them. "Frost giants." With another clang of his staff, he awakened the monster within the Vault and swiftly walked away from the throne.

Grabbing Mjolnir, Thor followed his father. Eager for the battle that may await.

Loki glanced around with pretend concern as his own steps nipped the heels of his family's. But he was concerned, in a way. Odin had hit Gungnir against the floor as if he had called something to his aid. Yet, nothing came. Which meant one thing.

Growing up, he had read and heard the stories of a metal creation with a heart of fire. It was said to guard Asgard's greatest treasures, but no one had actually seen the construction, so everyone assumed it was another story meant to help children fall asleep. Or to provoke fear in potential enemies. Or to inspire the guards and soldiers.

His plan suddenly had a chance to be ruined should the monstrosity prove to be real. Although, nobody knew the size of it or how powerful it was, so perhaps there was a possibility it wouldn't be able to destroy all the frost giants before they arrived in the Vault.

He stopped behind his father and brother inside the Vault. Just in time to see the Destroyer finishing off the last frost giant with its shaft of raging fire coming from its head. His jaw set. Okay. So, the myths were real, and the protector of Asgard's treasures was a force to be reckoned with. Good to know. Well, now he could strategize accordingly the next time a scheme involved the Vault.

Thor, Sif, and the Warrior's Three watched the metal guard in wonder as its fire diminished and plates slid back to reform its helmet.

Odin surveyed the bodies then nodded at the creature.

The Destroyer placed the Casket back on its pedestal then returned to its post. The gridded bars originally shrouding it reverting to their positions.

Volstagg gasped in awe. "I thought it was but a legend."

Fandral glanced around the Vault, rolling back his shoulders. "I've never been inside this place before. It's said the Tesseract was once secured within these walls."

He turned to his comrade. "I thought the Tesseract was a legend, too."

"Quiet," Sif snapped.

Thor walked around the smoking bodies, his anger rising. "Those Jotuns must pay for what they've done."

Odin remained calm. "They have paid. With their lives. The Casket remains safe because the Destroyer succeeded in its duties. All is well, my son."

This didn't pacify the god of thunder. "How can all be well? They were able to break into the very Vault of Asgard. If those frost giants had gotten their hands on even one relic—"

"They haven't. So all is well."

"Then I want to know why they would even think—"

"The Casket of Ancient Winters once belonged to the Jotuns. They believe it's their birthright to possess it once again. You know this."

Thor glared off to the side. "Yes, yes. And if you had not taken it all those years ago, the frost giants would have set a path of destruction across the Nine Realms. I know."

Odin gave a nod. "I have a truce with Laufey, the Jotun king."

He looked up, motioning toward the bodies with his hammer. "And they have broken that truce. We must act before something like this occurs again."

Loki's brows rose. Maybe this would work out in his favor, after all.

The Allfather turned to the four that weren't a part of the royal family. "Leave us. Return to the others and relay that all is well."

Sif and the Warrior's Three hesitated, but they placed fists over their chests, bowed, and left.

Odin turned back to his wrath-filled son. His regal air never leaving him. "And what action would you presume taking?"

Thor squared right up to his father. "I would march directly into Jotunheim as you have once done. I would cause fear in their hearts, weaken their spirits so they would never think of stepping foot in Asgard again."

Loki ran his tongue along the inside of his lips again. This was going rather splendidly. Thor continued to prove he longed only for battle and recognition before common reason. How could he be the rightful one to rule Asgard?

Odin sighed. "You think only as a warrior."

Thor's volume rose considerably. "Yes, because this was an act of war. Can you not see that?"

The Allfather's tone resolved. "This was an act of only these few. They were doomed to fail, and thus, they have paid with their lives."

"They did not fail when they have gotten this far."

Loki glanced from Thor to his father. Back to his brother then back Odin, waiting for a response. His dark brows continued to be lifted and clearly visible without his helmet adorning his head. He had to maintain this expression of sarcasm lest he out himself with laughter. This was just perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Certainly Odin would finally see the truth and keep Thor from the throne. Perhaps he could be instated as acting ruler until Thor learned the delicate ways of politics. Even if he was king for but a short time, he could still undo Aura's banishment. All he needed was a short yet official reign as ruler. That was all he asked for at this point.

Odin shook his head. "All we need to do is find the breach in our defenses and seal it. Perhaps even take extra precautions. But there is nothing more that needs to be done."

Thor dared to take a stance of defiance. "As the new king of Asgard, I will—"

"But you are not king, are you?" The Allfather's words sliced the air. "Not yet. I never finished the ceremony. You are still but a prince."

Loki took a deep breath to keep from releasing a smile. Hoping his look of annoyance with his family's bickering remained intact. This was even better than what he originally planned. Yes, the Destroyer may have revealed an imperfection in his plan, but the resulting events proved to be beneficial to his ultimate goal. Extremely beneficial.

Thor studied his father, jaw setting. Then he searched the floor. Slightly shaking his head.

Odin stared his eldest down with the full weight of the Nine Realms.

The younger son kept tabs on the other two. He wondered if Thor was actually dumb enough to continue the debate, but the rage reddening of Thor's face told him otherwise. Although, it was a shame. He was curious as to what would happen if the conversation renewed.

Thor shook his head some more. Clutching his weapon, he stormed past his father and little brother. Refusing to look at either of them.

Loki glanced at his father, who now had his attention on him. He was unsettled by Odin's gaze, and he deliberated if his father had any inclination who was behind the attack. However, the signs of anger didn't seem to be directed at him.

Odin resumed his normal tone. "I put you in charge of ridding Thor from these belligerent ideas. My consequences will be severe if he does not follow my wishes."

He inclined his head. "I will do my best. But we both know how stubborn Thor tends to be."

"Then your best better be enough this time."

Loki straightened as his nostrils flared with a hard exhale. His manner softened. "Yes, father." Dropping his eyes, he left the Vault in search of his brother.


	12. Chapter 12

_*Author's Note: I apologize again for the time between chapters! My parents are in the process of moving, so I've been going over to help them pack and prep their house for sale. I cannot guarantee a set schedule, but I can guarantee more chapters when I have time to write them. I also realize it's probably annoying I'm loosely following the script for the first Thor movie right now, but it's actually a huge convenience for me since I'm so busy. Also, it allows me to explain the reasoning for some of Loki's actions later on. Thank you so much for continued support and patience! I promise to update when I can!_

* * *

Loki took a deep breath, straightening out his black and green regalia as he stood outside the feasting hall. Smoothed back his ebony hair. His mother had taken his helmet back to his room. Since there was no battle, he no longer needed it. Although, he would have to be careful with his words unless he wanted to end up in a battle with Thor.

Thor had a reputation of his anger since they were children. Loki couldn't blame his brother for that aspect of his personality, as troublesome it could be. Their father had done nothing to curb the insatiable wrath of his oldest.

The youngest of the royal children entered the hall upon hearing Thor flip over the banquet table. It took him all his discipline not to roll his eyes at the childish display. Even as his brother stormed off to the far end of the hall. Again, he had to be careful with his demeanor and words.

There was too much at stake to not calm the thunder god. He needed to fulfill his promise to his father. Needed to succeed in every task the Allfather gave him. Even if it didn't amount to anything in the long run, he needed to try. For Aura's sake. He had to succeed so she could return home.

Clearing his throat, he approached where his older brother seated himself. Keeping his hands behind his back in a nonthreatening manner.

Thor glanced over his shoulder and shook his head. "It is unwise to stand so close to me, brother."

One corner of Loki's mouth slightly twitched into a grin. "Well. Whoever said I was wise?"

The almost-crowned prince gave one chuckle, but his expression didn't become humored. He threw a hand toward the upturned table. "This was supposed to be a victorious day for me. For Asgard."

Loki glanced at the Warrior's Three, who seemed preoccupied with the food spilled on the floor. Reminded himself to support his brother, calm him down. "It will come. In time. How can it not?"

Thor placed his chin in his hand with a sigh.

He sat down next to him. Careful not to disturb the surly emanation surrounding his brother. "But, if it's any consolation, I think you're right."

The god of thunder finally looked at his younger brother. "You do?"

"Of course. I think you're right about the frost giants, about Laufey, about everything. If but a few could find a weak spot in our defenses, then what's to stop them coming next time with an army?"

"Ha! This is exactly what I was thinking."

Loki adopted the look of reprimand perfected by their mother. "However, there is nothing we can do without defying father. And if you're to be king, you need to obey his wishes. Especially on your coronation day."

A sly grin crept across Thor's face.

He rose, eyes slightly widening. "No. Absolutely not. I know that look, and we are not doing what I know you're thinking. It's the exact opposite of what I'm telling you to do."

"Oh, come now, brother. It is the only way to ensure the safety of Asgard's borders. Should a king not protect his Realm?"

Loki glanced off to the side, irritated. This was not at all what he had in mind. He had simply wanted to boost his brother's ego back up to its normal, obnoxious level then remind Thor the Allfather still ruled. That his brother needed to be careful. "This is madness."

Volstagg looked up from trying to find an unbruised fruit on the floor. "Madness? What's madness? I'll tell you what madness is. The waste of this glorious feast."

The black haired prince offered a smile, hoping the soldier would mind his own business. "It's nothing. Thor was simply jesting, and I—"

Thor rose and trotted off the steps. "The safety of Asgard is no jest. My friends, we are going to invade Jotunheim."

"What," Fandral asked with curiously piqued interest.

Hogun, quiet as always, crossed his arms. Though his facial features expressed he wasn't pleased.

Loki rubbed the bridge of his nose. This was not what he wanted at all. However…. His gaze lifted to view the others. Eyes flitting back and forth between those who spoke. This could still work in his favor.

The Lady Sif stepped forward. "Thor, of all the laws in Asgard you've broken, this is one you must not. Not on the day of your coronation."

He subtly nodded. While he didn't like agreeing with Sif, she had a point. And she reinforced not doing anything on coronation day. This could work in his favor splendidly. So long as his father decided to punish the oldest child and not both of them.

Fandral frowned. "What you're proposing, Thor, isn't like when we go to Midgard. You can't just flash your weapon and expect them to treat you like a god. You're talking about Jotunheim."

It was Volstagg's turn to nod. "And you know, if the frost giants don't kill you, your father most certainly will."

Loki glanced at his brother. And now the Warrior's Three were pointing out how angry Odin would be if Thor disobeyed. Of course, he knew his brother wouldn't change his mind once it was made, but with the emphasis on the Allfather's disapproval, maybe Thor would see the error in his ways and keep them from both getting in trouble. He knew he would get blamed for everything, regardless. Odin always made sure of that.

Thor grinned from ear to ear. "But, my friends, my father once fought his way in, defeated their armies, and took the Casket. We would only be seeking answers to today's incident."

Sif sighed. "It is still forbidden. Are you just deciding to ignore one of Asgard's most important laws? This won't bode well for you."

Loki's brows rose. Clearly, Sif wanted Thor on the throne. Like most others. But wouldn't it be convenient for her to sit at Thor's side as queen of Asgard. He honestly didn't know which would be worse. Thor as king or Sif as queen. Yes, it would be Sif. She blamed him for everything, too. Without giving him any time to prove his innocence in most cases. She would have him beheaded just for speaking.

The vigor in Thor's voice returned. "Have you all forgotten the great accomplishes we have had together? Fandral, who brought you into the sweet embraces of the most exotic women in the branches of Yggdrasil?"

The blonde Warrior smirked and shrugged a shoulder. "You did."

Thor stood in between Hogun and Volstagg, placing hands on each of their shoulders. "And who led you, Hogun, into the most glorious of battles? And you, Volstagg, to delicacies so succulent, you once thought you had died and gone to Valhalla?"

"You did," came the unison reply.

The thunder god turned his attention to Sif, who wasn't impressed with this speech so far. "And who proved to all skeptics that a maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors in all Nine Realms?"

Sif shifted her weight to her other foot. "I did."

"Yes. Well…I did support you. What I am saying is you all can trust me. Trust me now. This is something we must do."

The others exchanged glances.

Thor returned to his brother. "Come now. You are not going to let my brother and I have all the glory, are you?"

Loki glanced up, aware his brother talked about him. Though he didn't know what had been said. He tuned everything out when Thor first addressed Fandral. For once, he was glad to be left out of the conversation. He didn't need his brother parading him around. "What?"

"You are coming with me, yes?"

He blinked. Did he go with Thor on this fool's errand, or did he stay here like a dutiful son? Although, his father did want him to calm Thor down. Perhaps he could talk him out of this whole misadventure on the way there? But what would one peek into Jotunheim hurt?

"Loki?"

The mischief god grinned at Thor's expectant face. "Why would I let my brother march into Jotunheim alone? You'll have me at your side as always."

The Warrior's Three sounded off their acceptance into joining the pair.

Sif shook her head. "I'm sure we'll live to regret this, but you can count on me, as well."

Thor called in a servant. "Have some others prepare our armor and horses. We will ride on this day."

Loki inhaled a deep breath as he followed the other five through the palace. This could go one of two ways: either Odin found out the hard way and chose not to punish his sons, or Odin found out the hard way and sent his sons to Hel. His expression blanked. The question was: how would his father punish them? Would they simply get slapped on the wrist?

Then again, Thor would start the Jotun-Asgard War again with how stupid he could be when stepping around the many cracks of politics. Which, walking into Jotunheim alone was an act of war, technically speaking. So how severe would Odin's punishment be?

Perhaps his perception on this situation was skewed. Instead of acquiring the throne, maybe he just needed to be banished, too. His father already showed great distrust in him in just the possibility of taking over Asgard. All he needed to do was screw up so badly, the Allfather would have to throw him out of Asgard for good. Then he could search for Aura without any sort of ramification.

A horse's nicker pulled him from his thoughts.

Loki looked around. Had they reached the stables already? But he turned his attention to the beast calling for his observance.

Sleipnir pawed in his stall. The largest and at the front of the stables. The eight-legged beast was right where he wanted to be, the center of attention.

The god of mischief smiled and held out a hand for Sleipnir to put his nose into. Even though the horse belonged to his father, he was the one who created him. Back when Sleipnir was a colt, he was still learning the ins and outs of his transformative magic. And Odin desired a new steed, as his previous one grew old.

What did he do? Took the fastest colt he could find and gave him an extra set of legs. Which he then presented as a present for his father. As much as Odin loved his horse, the Allfather never once acknowledged that his youngest son had given it to him.

Loki released an audible sigh, stroking the velvety hair along Sleipnir's face. His mother had been more than impressed, but, of course, his father didn't care. He always felt like Odin hated him for some unknown reason. However, he could never figure out why. At least the eight-legged battle steed still cared for him.

"Loki," Thor called. "It is time for us to go."

"I'm coming, Thor." The youngest prince patted Sleipnir one last time before walking out of the stables. Although, he paused at the entrance. Glanced at one of the guards standing on either side of the ornate building.

Thor and the others were in the process of mounting their steeds.

He made sure they weren't paying attention to him and approached one of the guards nearest him. Kept his voice low. "Thor has taken it upon himself to march into Jotunheim. Should we persuade Heimdall to allow this, alert my father once the Bifrost has finished transporting us."

The guard put a fist over his chest without hesitation. "Yes, your highness."

"And please at least try to be discreet."

"Aye."

Loki rose a brow then gave a nod. Joined with the others and mounted his horse. This was going to be interesting. Especially since their next hurtle was Heimdall. With a soft cluck, he spurred his horse onward, evaluating the others.

Thor rose his voice above the galloping hooves to address his party. "We must find a way to get past Heimdall."

Volstagg snorted. "Ha! That will not be an easy task. It's rumored he can see a dew drop on a blade of grass from a thousand worlds away."

Fandral laughed. "And hear a cricket passing gas."

"You shouldn't jest so. He does hear all."

He laughed some more. "It should be simple enough. Since he allows frost giants to invade under his nose."

Hogun shook his head in a disapproving manner at the banter over Asgard's Gatekeeper.

Volstagg looked all around him expectantly. "Forgive him, Heimdall. He means no disrespect."

They all quieted when they reached the Rainbow Bridge.

Loki's nostrils flared as he moved with his horse. There had been many times he had crossed this bridge. But one occurrence stood out the most. One that still caused his heart physical pain.

He had stolen Sleipnir from the stables when his mother told him what was happening. Ran the beast as hard as Sleipnir dared to go. Still, he had been too late. He could still hear her cries. Her pleading as his father personally dragged her to Heimdall.

The Allfather wanted her banishment to hurt his youngest, and it did.

Loki set his jaw. Tried blinking away the memories, but they were still as fresh as ever. He had to watch her flail against his father's grasp of her hair, attempting to set herself free as he remained helpless on the back of the black war horse.

She normally accepted her fates of punishment with her usual, quiet disposition. However, she didn't that day because she was terrified beyond anything she had experienced before. The fear he could see in her eyes, hear in her voice, even from a distance, was what grieved him most.

His magic didn't work, though he tried. Oh, did he try. But Odin's spear kept up a barrier his then-knowledge didn't know how to break. That's what drove him to become the master of magic he was now and what would continue to drive himself further. He could already trick Heimdall. His father was the next step.

He used to love looking at the Bifrost, with its myriad of colors and its crystal appearance. Now, he could barely stand the sight of it. So he kept his vision forward. On his brother at the front of their mounted band.

Thor pulled everyone up to a halt right outside Heimdall's Observatory. Glanced over his shoulder.

At the back of the pack, Loki stopped his horse last. Heimdall drilled him. He shifted his shoulders, the weight of the Nine Realms on him. However, he knew what he needed to do. "Allow me, Thor." He dismounted, walking between the others. "This needs to be handled with tact, not strength."

The god of thunder gave a nod. "Agreed."

The god of mischief stepped up to Heimdall, who stood in front of the Bifrost's entrance. He held out his arms and slightly bowed. Uncomfortably keeping the Gatekeeper's discerning gaze. "Good Heimdall—"

"None of you are dressed warmly enough." Asgard's Guardian stood motionless with his two-handed sword in front of him.

Loki looked back at the others behind him.

Thor shrugged as Sif shook her head.

The Warrior's Three exchanged glances.

He turned back to the one who watched the Realms. "Beg your pardon?"

Heimdall took a deep breath. "The cold of Jotunheim will kill you all, in time. Do you really think you can deceive me? I, who can see all? Or hear a cricket passing gas from a thousand worlds away?"

Fandral pulled at his collar. "Twas but a jest…"

Loki offered a smile to the Gatekeeper. "I think you must be mistaken. We're not—"

"Enough of this wasting time," Thor stated as he dismounted and approached. "Heimdall, may we pass?"

Heimdall turned his swirling orbs to the blonde prince. "For all of time, I have guarded Asgard and kept watch against her foes. Never has an enemy slipped my gaze until this day." His eyes shifted back to Loki. "I wish to know how that happened."

Thor crossed his arms. "Tell no one of this encounter, and I will retrieve your answers for you." Without any kind of approval, he marched past the Gatekeeper.

Loki exhaled a hard breath. How had his lug of a brother talked Heimdall into letting them pass? Not that he had been given a chance to do any better. His emerald eyes snapped to his left. Of course Heimdall stared at him still.

Volstagg heartily laughed as he playfully shouldered the youngest prince. "What's the matter? Silver tongue turned to lead?"

His eyes narrowed. "Its weight would still be lighter than your girth. I'm surprised the Rainbow Bridge hasn't collapsed under you."

Fandral pointed at his voracious friend and laughed.

Heimdall climbed the stairs leading to his controls. Thrust his sword into it. "Be warned. I will honor my oath to protect this Realm. Should your return threaten the safety of Asgard, I will keep the Bifrost closed to you, leaving you all to die in Jotunheim."

Thor scoffed. "I have no plans to die today."

The Gatekeeper's voice deepened in register. "None ever do." He turned the sword, and the Observatory swung into full motion, pointing toward the desired location. Pushed his weapon down further.

The Bifrost's energy shot into space and opened its door to the part of six.

Loki took a deep breath. As much as he didn't agree with Thor's plan, this needed to be done. He had to go through with this. For her. Everything he did was to bring her back. Hopefully, Heimdall could understand that. With a final glance to Asgard's Guardian, he allowed the Rainbow Bridge to whisk him after the others.


	13. Chapter 13

Frigid cold enveloped Loki like a warm friend. Although, he shrugged his heavier garments closer around him out of habit. Cooler temperatures never bothered him. In fact, he preferred them. But constant, firm reprimand from his father made him question how he reacted around the cold.

The Allfather made it seem like it was a crime to prefer cool to warm. Even when Odin allowed it to snow on Asgard, the temperatures were never freezing. It was just cold enough to make hot beverages and wrapping up in fur-lined clothes enjoyable. Many assumed it was because of the feud once held with Jotunheim.

Loki used to assume it was because, deep down, his father didn't want his people to suffer. Now, he wondered what the real reason was for. Especially when he had to sit through multiple lectures and punishes for simply stating he wished it would be colder during the snow.

His preference finally grew until he bothered Thor with it so much that even Thor began to question Odin's decision on the matter. And that was when he really began to see a different side to his father. One he knew had always been in him because there was a reason Asgard was left alone by outside enemies, but one he never thought would be shown to children.

Well, he was, more or less, a young god with minor adult responsibilities. But still. He wouldn't call it torture…however, the Allfather making him sit in much warmer rooms so he would "learn to like warmth" was borderline cruel. After a handful of times of that, he was ready to comply with his father's wishes and pretend the cold made him, in fact, cold.

He didn't like the heat. It left him abnormally weak, left his magic unserviceable. He would get sick, throw up, and it could be days before he could eat again. He hated it. Hated it with a passion.

But there was one source of heat he loved.

It wasn't all too long ago when Aura discovered her fire magic. And for some time, he had been scared his father would find out and kill her.

Odin didn't like his servants having abilities. He allowed Aura to utilize her healing magic because restoration magic wasn't threatening. Plus, Frigga was a full light elf and possessed the same type of power. Saying no to Aura would be saying no to his wife, and he didn't want that.

Loki had been trying to work out a plan with his mother to teach Aura about her fire in secret so she wouldn't have another accident. His beloved did have one incident, but it was her first and only. And he had been the victim of her unintentional attack.

She had been under heavy duress, even though he hadn't known at the time. He wanted to surprise her with a nice gesture of flowers. Ended up surprising her too well. She had turned around, startled, and hit him with a mess of fire.

The flames should've burned him. Left permanent scars. However, a part of her brain must have recognized him instantly and kept her magic from doing so. There wasn't a scratch on him when the fires died. He barely even felt the heat.

He remembered standing in the middle of the raging oranges, reds, and yellows. It was an incredible experience. One he didn't want to have to go through again but breathtaking, nonetheless. And then his heart ached for her because she couldn't stop sobbing. She thought she had injured him, and it almost broke her soul.

There were times when her fragile nature amazed him. Not in a bad way. But it was astonishing she could retain her personality after all the harshness life had thrown at her. In a way, he envied her. From the time since they had met as small children, he knew his disposition had changed. However, she still loved him. That fact kept him going.

But when she thought she had hurt him, it took him nearly a week to calm her down and reassure her he hadn't been affected. It also took her the entirety of that week to tell her why she had been particularly upset at the time of the incident. And that was when he found out about the guard named Galensar.

The very day, the guard was never heard from again.

No one would be allowed to touch his beloved. Especially in a way which suggested taking advantage of her. Not even he dared touch her in a provocative manner. His mother would make sure of that, if he were to acquire an insane notion. The only being who guarded her more fiercely than him was Frigga.

Volstagg made a rather loud exclamation and pulled Loki from his thoughts.

Looking over, the youngest prince watched Thor keep the rotund Warrior from falling off an ice cliff. Right. They were here to deal with the frost giants. His fingers flexed at his sides. Well, at least he had reminded himself of the true purpose to all of his plans. Now to focus on the task at hand.

Thor led the party across the frozen wasteland until they stood amongst the edges of a long-forgotten city.

Ruins of structures made from jade and ice were strewn about the area. Relics of a victorious past. Amongst the rubble rose what was left of a temple, a half circle of sheer, jagged walls.

Sif stopped next to Thor. "Where are they?"

The thunder god scoffed and continued walking to the center of the debris. "Hiding. Just as cowards will always do."

Loki shifted. This place made him more untrusting than normal. And no, the frost giants weren't hiding. He could sense them moving in the shadows. They were using tactics. Strategy use didn't make them cowards.

They finally came to rest in the central plaza. Halted in the looming semicircle.

The rest of the group finally perceived the hidden Jotuns and grabbed the hilts of their weapons.

A blue guard approached, voice rumbling. "What is your reason for being here, Asgardian?"

Loki inhaled a deep breath. And here's where the fun began.

Thor looked the giant up and down. "I would speak only to your king, not a petty foot soldier."

An even deeper voice echoed in the broken temple. "Then speak."

The six Asgardians lifted their gazes to the veiled sovereign sitting on a makeshift throne.

The king of the frost giants leaned forward enough so part of his face protruded from the darkness. His expression proud, despite the state of decay his Realm remained in. "I am Laufey. I am the king here."

Thor puffed out his chest. "And I am—"

"I know who you are, Odinson. I want to know why you've brought the stench of your blood into my Realm."

"I demand to know how your people sneaked into Asgard."

"You demand?" Laufey rose to his full height, clearly taller than any of the other Jotuns. He released a small smirk. "Odin's house is full of traitors."

Loki glanced at the others to gauge their reactions. They appeared confused and worried, but none of them looked to him. Good. He was almost afraid this Laufey would be the one to destroy his plans.

Thor brandished Mjolnir. "How dare you dishonor my father's name with your lies."

"Your father has dishonored his own name. He's nothing but a thief, a murderer. He took what was ours, left our Realm in permanent ruin. If we so chose, we have every right to reclaim our Casket."

"Not when you use it for nothing but warfare and destruction."

The frost giant king laughed in a cold manner. Sat back down on his throne. "So why have you come here? Certainly not for peace. You long for nothing but war and destruction yourself. I can see you for who you are. Nothing but a boy masquerading as a man."

The thunder god's grip tightened on his weapon. "Well, this boy has grown tired of your senseless mockery." He stepped forward, but several Jotuns emerged, keeping him away from the throne.

Loki knew he had to intervene. This was going to go south in a heartbeat. Perhaps now was the time to placate his hot-headed brother. "Thor, please stop and think. Look around you. We are in a Realm we shouldn't be. We're outnumbered. We—"

"Know your place, brother," Thor stated, shrugging away his brother's hand.

He blinked. So much for his brother seeking his approval. My, how quickly the tides could turn.

Laufey rose once again. Fully appearing out of the shadows. "You should heed his wise counsel. You do not know what your actions will unleash, should you chose to act upon them. I do. And you should go. Now. While I still allow it."

The god of mischief moved in front of his brother, holding him back with a hand. This chance was what they needed. Inclined his head to this Realm's ruler. "We humbly accept your most gracious offer." Then he stared down Thor.

The god of thunder had his gaze transfixed on Laufey, but he finally looked at his brother. Relented with a dissatisfied grunt. He pivoted and motioned for the others to leave.

One of the frost giant sentries snickered. "Run back home, little princess."

Loki silently sighed. "Damn." They were so close to actually leaving.

Thor grinned. Flung Mjolnir around the semicircle to knock the guards across the plaza. "Who should be next?"

Laufey motioned for his men to attack.

Ice molded around the frost giants' bodies, forming thick, frozen armor. Swelled around and down their hands. Uneven short swords for their attacks against the Asgardians.

An all-out brawl ensued.

Loki shook his head as he dodged strikes. Returned to his brother's side. "Do you really think this is wise, brother? You do want to be king one day, don't you? We should cease this nonsense."

Thor ignored his younger sibling altogether, battering back another round of frost giants. "Oh, come on," he cried out, "at least make this a challenge for me!"

He groaned. Leaned back to miss a sudden sweep of a Jotun's blade. Moved away from his arrogant brother, lest he stab him, too. Or, rather, learned his place. His nostrils flared as muscle memory kept his agile frame from taking damage. Sooner or later, he would probably stab Thor simply out of annoyance.

His emerald gaze sharpened as he was soon flanked by a pair of frost giants. Daggers found each of his hands. Then found themselves embedded in the Jotuns. He was honestly beginning to wonder why the race so feared. This was almost child's play.

A brute of a frost giant unleashed a battle cry, coming forth from a cage underneath what was left of the throne. He ran straight for the blonde prince of Asgard, punching him across the ice.

Loki couldn't even pretend to be concerned for his brother, he was so exasperated at this point.

Thor, however, brushed himself off. Joyous laughter escaped him and could be heard above the clangs of battle from Sif and the Warrior's Three. "Now this is more like it." Using Mjolnir, he flew back towards the brute and smashed his hammer into the monstrous frost giant's face.

Volstagg suddenly cried out, stabbing his sword through the Jotun in front of him and drawing the attention of everyone else. "Don't let them grab you. Their touch is poison." Staggering, he showed his blackening arm for the others to see.

Lady Sif ripped her spear out of a frost giant's head. "Hold on, Volstagg." She rushed to his aid, slicing down enemies along the way.

Loki surveyed the battle from a safe place, an illusion of him seemingly helpless near a precipice's edge. He needed to assess the situation as his brother had detached himself from the group and fought on his own accord. Volstagg had been injured, but he had gone back to fighting. Hogun and Fandral were faring well, which was good.

Movement on his left caught his eye.

A frost giant had fallen for the deception.

With an unamused sigh, he made his magical double appear scared, backing toward the edge of the cliff. He just wanted to go home. There was no point in this battle. They were going to be severely punished when they returned, and his chances of making a good impression were growing dim.

The Jotun lunged, and he made the artifice disappear with the flick of his wrist, sending the enemy off the ledge. Child's play. However, a pained cry from Fandral reminded him of the very real dangers.

Jaw setting, he raced toward the impaled warrior. Launching daggers at the frost giants in his way. Out of the Warrior's Three, Fandral was the only one who liked him, was amused by his magical abilities and constant snark. Fandral was also the only one who didn't instantly assume he was behind every malicious deed in Asgard.

A group of Jotuns blocked Loki's path, keeping him from reaching the nearly-unconscious Warrior.

"Hogun," he called, summoning more daggers. He kept an eye out to make sure the Warrior Grim heard his call. Fought the several frost giants with hand-to-hand combat. Felling two of the enemies, he watched both Hogun and Volstagg pull Fandral off the large ice stalagmite. Good, they were taking care of him.

He ducked from an ice-covered fist coming dangerously close to his face. Retaliated by plunging both of his daggers into his rival's chest and sending him to the ground.

Another Jotun seized his wrist from behind.

Loki whirled around, sliding his hand free from the glove keeping him ensnared.

The dying frost giant with the twin daggers sticking out of his chest grabbed the Asgardian's bare flesh.

The mischief maker prepared himself for the searing agony, but…he felt nothing. He glanced down. A shade of blue matching the Jotuns' skin spread painlessly across his arm. With wide eyes, he yanked his arm free the downed Jotun who finally died.

The frost giant still standing stared in wonder.

Loki held up his arm to better light. What in the Nine Realms? Away from Jotun touch, his skin faded back to its normal pale color. But was it his normal flesh color? Hard breaths came from him in puffs of smoke, his raised hand slightly trembling. Did this mean what he thought…?

No. How could it? Odin was his father, and Frigga was his mother. Thor was his brother. Why would they lie to him all this time? Thor didn't have a lying bone in his body. Yes, Frigga could be sly in her own right, but she wouldn't hide this from him. And Odin, well, Odin wouldn't allow a frost giant into his family. Would he?

His eyes lifted to the frost giant in front of him. He couldn't show fear. Not here. And they needed this battle to be over with. Now. Tossing a dagger to eye level, he kicked it into his adversary's face. Looked around the scene.

Thor. Where was Thor? He needed to convince Thor to end this madness.

The thunder god was still happily killing frost giants with his hammer before their king.

Laufey slammed a hand against the wall of ice next to him, sending a pulse of energy though the wall and into the ground.

Everyone froze at the resounding _crack!_

Loki balanced himself from the shockwave. "Oh, this is not good."

"Look," Sif declared, pointing below the ice.

Hundreds of Jotuns stirred. Rousing to join the battle.

Loki turned to his brother. "Thor, we need to go now." However, he could tell his words were useless. His brother had forgone his hammer, fighting with his fists and consumed by bloodlust.

Volstagg adjusted his support for the slipping Fandral. "Loki's right. We need to go."

Thor turned enraged eyes upon them. "Then go!"

Sif started for the prince, but the ice broke all around them, the fresh soldiers joining the combat. "Thor."

"Go."

Hogun finally spoke. "Run."

Volstagg hoisted Fandral onto his back and carried him like a pack. Sif and Hogun followed closely behind.

Loki looked to his brother, but he knew there was no saving him. Once Thor was at this point, there was no return until his thirst was satisfied. He reluctantly trailed the others. This was insane. This whole plan of his brother's had been insane. He knew his father would blame him for not getting through Thor's thick pride.

His father—he glanced down at his bare arm as he ran. Expecting to see blue flesh. He blinked to get the imagery from his mind. He couldn't worry about that now. He needed to focus on getting the others off this wretched Realm.

Snapping lightning made him look over his shoulder as he chased the others. He watched his brother electrocute the ring of frost giants around him. His nostrils flared. This was neither the time nor the place to be showing off.

Another sickening crack of ice reverberated throughout Jotunheim.

Volstagg glanced over his shoulder and over Fandral. "What is Thor doing?"

Loki shook his head. "Whatever it is, it's going to get us all killed."

More formations fractured, and a Jotunheim Beast broke free from its frozen confinement as the ground itself shifted and fissured.

"Move," Sif screamed, jumping over rifts.

Hogun stayed beside Volstagg to help with Frandral if need be.

Loki continued bringing up the rear. He checked back on the Beast, but it wasn't anywhere to be seen. His gut told him it hadn't gone away. He didn't know those Beasts to be borrowers, but he didn't know much about the Beasts to begin with. Something he would have to study up on, given he survived Jotunheim. Given he survived the Allfather.

His nimbleness and instinctual need for self-preservation caught him up to the front of the group with Sif. Thankfully, her desire for her own survival kept her from giving him looks or making snide remarks. Although, it was his size and dexterity that often got him made fun of.

A real male Asgardian warrior should be full of strength and masculinity, is what most warriors said. He never cared. He could get any job done. Often with more skill, less destruction, and with more haste. That's what really mattered. He had no desire to keep up a stereotypical male persona. Especially not when he already had a woman who loved him and most of the others couldn't keep a respectable lady in a serious relationship.

The rumbling ground ended abruptly.

He skidded to a halt, along with Sif and the Warrior's Three, at the edge of a cliff. More like, the edge of this part of Jotunheim.

A massive paw full of claws came up from below and smacked the ice.

The five Asgardians moved backwards as the Jotunheim Beast pulled itself up.

Snarling, it unleashed a drooling roar. Reared on its hind legs. Gaped open its mouth.

Loki's eyes quickly scanned the Beast. He could teleport everyone away, but he feared making Fandral's condition worse. He had yet to use transformative magic on something this large. But he also feared his magic would be useless with how shaken he remained from the dying Jotun's touch.

Thor suddenly flew overhead, hammer first. Straight into the mouth of the Beast and out the other side of its head.

His ebony brows lifted. Well. That took care of that.

The thunder god circled back after the Beast fell off the cliff and landed with his usual flair. He rose with a grin from ear to ear. The passion for combat still swirling in his eyes.

Before anyone could give him a retort, a deafening roar rushed toward them. They all turned to see Laufey leading his army of Jotun soldiers.

Then the sky opened up, and a multi-colored beam of light scorched a familiar rune onto the surface of Jotunheim.

Sleipnir reared his front four legs. Snorted and landed with a thud.

Odin, in full battle armor, brandished his spear. His sole eye gazed over the frost giant army. Landing on their king. "Laufey. You can end this."

Jotunheim's ruler stepped forward from his mass of people and rose himself to Odin's height with a tide of ice. "It is your boy that caused this."

"There, you are right. And these are the actions of a boy. Treat them as such. There is no need for further bloodshed. We can end this."

"Your boy doesn't want diplomacy. He seeks war and death. I intend to give it to him."

Odin set his jaw. "So be it."

Without warning, Laufey swung an ice-covered hand at the Allfather, but Odin was quicker. He slammed Gungnir onto the ground, sending all the frost giants onto their backs. Then raised it to call the Bifrost. The six offenders traveling with him back to Asgard.


	14. Chapter 14

The whole group of Asgardians walked out of the vortex of the Bifrost, all but Odin and Thor battered, weary, and fearful.

Odin marched up directly to Heimdall's control system. Yanking out the sword and tossing it to its owner.

Heimdall inclined his head, backing out of the way of the party. He stood in a corner out of the way. His ever-watchful gaze on those before him while still on those in the Realms.

Thor looked behind him as the Rainbow Bridge faded and closed. "Why did you bring us back to Asgard? We could have defeated the Jotuns together."

The Allfather paid him no heed. Instead, he turned to Lady Sif. "Get Fandral to the healing room quickly. And take Sleipnir back to the stables."

She nodded. "Aye, my lord." She reached up for the war steed's reins, but the proud horse snorted at her and tossed his head, prancing off by his own accord. So the Lady turned to the Warrior's Three's aid. Helping them transport Fandral to the safety of the medical chambers.

"Why did you bring us back?" Thor demanded again. His tone intensifying for extra effort in being heard.

Odin finally acknowledged his eldest. "Do you not realize what you've done? What you've started?"

"I was protecting our home."

"You can't even protect your friends. How do you expect to protect a kingdom?"

"How will there be a kingdom if you are too afraid to act? Our people and the Nine Realms must know their new king will not be held in contempt."

The Allfather's gaze darkened. "That is not how a king should talk. You speak of nothing but pride and vanity. Have you forgotten everything you've learned? A king and warrior must also act out of patience, of cunning."

Loki lifted his eyes with renewed hopefulness. Those were two, of the many, qualities he was known for. Had their father finally seen the error of making his brother the next king? Had this misconstrued strategy of his actually worked?

Thor flung an arm out toward the Bifrost. "While you resort to being patient and cunning, the other Realms mock us. Your ways of old are no more. You would rather give speeches than keep Asgard from falling."

Odin's volume rose. "You are nothing but a vain, greedy, cruel boy."

The oldest son matched his father's tone. "And you are nothing but an old fool."

Loki glanced between the two, eyebrows lifting slightly. His brother had really dug his own grave now. And he assumed he would have to be the one to save him from it.

The current king of Asgard remained quiet for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice dropped to a dangerously calm level. His expression turned grim. "I am a fool, yes. A fool to think you were ever ready to take the throne."

The god of mischief stepped forward. "Father, I—"

"Hngueh!" Odin roared, pointing a finger at the black-haired prince and stopping him in his tracks.

He startled. Took a step back with a dipped head. So his father wasn't pleased with him, either. This day would not end well.

"Thor Odinson, you have disobeyed direct orders from your king. Through your ceaseless arrogance and foolishness, you have unleashed war upon innocent lives." The Allfather plunged his spear into the Bifrost's control, and a portal opened behind his eldest.

Thor glanced behind him. Readying for battle.

Odin continued, the power of the Rainbow Bridge surging with his rage. "You are unworthy of this Realm." He tore a symbolizing piece of armor off Thor's chest. "You are unworthy of your title." Ripped the red cloak off Thor's shoulders. "Unworthy of the loved ones you've betrayed. I, Odin, remove you of your powers."

Loki stopped playing with the inside of his palm. He finally realized what his father was doing, and he wasn't sure whether or not to intervene. Odin clearly wasn't in a playing mood.

The Allfather held out his hand, calling Mjolnir out of the shamed prince's hand. "In the name of my father," a streak of lightning struck away half of Thor's armor, "and his father before," another streak robbed Thor of the rest of his armor, "I cast you out!"

Thor's eyes widened, the metal scales crumbled off of him. "Father, please."

A crack of thunder echoed throughout Asgard as Odin thrust his banished son into the waiting rainbow bridge. He then stared at the weapon in his hands. Took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Dropped his voice to a whisper. "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."

Mjolnir glowed with knotted runes on either side of it until they disappeared once the spell settled in.

Without hesitation, the ruler of Asgard hurled the hammer through the Bifrost.

Loki started for the door of the Rainbow Bridge, but the portal closed before he could reach it. He looked back at his father. "Please—"

"Silence," Odin bellowed.

He swallowed and backpedaled again.

"If I hadn't already cast out that failure of a slave, you would be with him."

His nostrils flared. Aura was not a failure. Nor a slave. But he couldn't say it aloud. He honestly wasn't sure if his father had even remembered sending her out of Asgard, but of course he had.

Odin began walking out with the gait of the powerful king he was. However, he suddenly whirled around and pointed at the remaining prince. "What were the orders I had given you?"

"To calm Thor down."

"So you deemed it wise to take him to Jotunheim instead?"

Loki's fingers slowly curled into themselves. "He decided that on his own consensus. I begged him not to go, but he would not listen to reason, so I alerted the guard to tell you where he led us. I assumed you would want to know because we both know how brash Thor can be."

The Allfather's one-eyed stare dimmed. "And you. You think you can lead a whole Realm when you can't even persuade your own brother from war? How are you supposed to keep enemies at bay? And you think you're so cunning."

His jaw set.

"You are no more worthy than he. At least he has the thought to take some kind of action, albeit wrong. You're pathetic attempt at words would lead Asgard into death and ruin."

He blinked and dropped his eyes to the ground. Like his father's favor of words weren't already leading Asgard into death and ruin. He slightly shook his head. "What else was I to do? I'm not allowed to use my magic on him. I—"

"I grow tired of your excuses. Your failed efforts of justification. You are not a child. Grow up and take responsibility for yourself. Speak to me no further until I decide what I want to do with you." Without another word, Odin left.

Loki's fists clenched and unclenched. He turned away so he couldn't see his father out of the corners of his eyes. What was he supposed to do? Regardless of what he had done, he would have been punished for one thing or another. There was no winning with his father. What did Thor have that he didn't?

Asgard.

He glanced down at his arm. Thor was Asgardian. But was he? Was he even from this Realm? Born to Odin and Frigga? Brother to Thor? Was he actually Loki Odinson?

Yes. He had to be. Why wouldn't he be? Why would he be a frost giant? It was simply his magic playing tricks on him. He simply didn't want to be in pain when touched by the frost giant, so his magic kept him from being in pain. There. That was a perfectly logical explanation.

If he was a Jotun, what would Aura think?

Aura….

His attention found Heimdall, who had resumed his normal post near the control panel. Although he had never once received an answer from the Guardian, perhaps he could get one now. He didn't know why he thought he could, but he needed some form of hope at the moment.

Silent steps carried him to the Gatekeeper. "Heimdall, can you still see her?"

"Of course," came the almost ethereal reply.

Loki inhaled a deep breath. "Can you please tell me where she is? I need to make sure she's okay. You know I've searched for her when I can, but I can't…I can't find her, and I-I'm failing her. I'm not sure why I can't locate her."

Heimdall kept silent, though his eyes blatantly swirled with his Sight. "No."

He sighed. Despair etched in his voice. "Please, Heimdall. I know we're not always on the best of terms, but I need to know. I need to know where she is."

More silence. Followed by his own sigh. "She does not wish for you to find her. She begs me every day to keep from telling you her location."

Everything within the youngest prince stopped. Heimdall may as well have stabbed him through all of his vital organs with the largest sword in the Nine Realms. He knew the Gatekeeper's words were true. Heimdall had sworn an oath to Asgard and to himself he would never lie. Besides, what would he gain from lying?

But how could Aura not want him to find her? She was his light, his love. His everything. He had been doing all in his power to restore her to Asgard, but now, now she didn't want him locate her? Why not? Why?

One of his hands aimlessly searched for something to brace himself on. His knees suddenly felt weak. His stomach knotted tighter than it ever had before. How…why…?

He finally found the doorway to the Bifrost chamber and leaned against it, barely keeping himself upright. Felt like he was going to be sick. Unable to wrap his head around why she would tell Heimdall every day not to spoil her location. He didn't understand why she wouldn't want him to come for her.

Had he taken too long? It was true each Realm possessed their own way of keeping track of time. What if months here meant years somewhere else? Had she been trapped in a place where years had passed? However, it was possible only days had passed for her.

Searching the stone floor of the Bifrost station, he accessed the deepest parts of his memories. Not the fragments dedicated for events he wished to forget but the sources of remembered information. There had been a text he read many years ago regarding the conversion equation of time for the various Realms. However, it still wouldn't do him any good if he didn't know which Realm she resided on.

What if she actually wasn't on one of the Realms? The universe was vast, and the Realms were nothing but a fraction of what actually existed. Perhaps that was why he hadn't found her yet. There was a chance she was nowhere near the Realms, outside of Odin's reach of power. He wouldn't put it past his father to have sent her elsewhere.

He attempted steadying his breathing with no prevail. Slammed a fist on the structure frame and ran a hand through his hair. How could he have been so stupid? His search had been too narrow. He couldn't stand the thought of her being lost in places she had never heard of before.

Maybe she told Heimdall not to tell him her location because she didn't even know where she was. No, she could give the Guardian a description. Not that he needed one, since he could see everything. After all they had been through together since childhood, how could she not want him to find her?

Did she think of herself as a burden to him? That had to be her reasoning. It was the only one that made sense. She didn't want him to find her because she didn't want him to go out of his way for her. She never liked when he went out of his way for anything, even flowers. Countless times, she lamented over simple flowers and trinkets because she feared he would get in trouble.

For a while, he had assumed she didn't like his gifts until she finally explained with a red face about how she was afraid he would get hurt because of her. Then he understood. She always cared more for his safety than anything else.

His eyes snapped up, and he pushed himself off the wall. His safety. That was the key. She was somewhere where she didn't think he would be safe if he came to it. Surely, that was the one. His safety had to be her motive.

But was she safe?

He pivoted, a new kind of fear pulsing his heart against his ribcage. "Heimdall, is she safe? Please tell me she's protected."

The Gatekeeper slightly turned his head to view the young god. "Aye. She is safe. She's living quite comfortably, actually. Her life currently isn't in any danger."

"Currently?"

"The winds of change blow rather frequently, I've found." Heimdall slowly returned to his position.

Loki's cheekbones became more prominent as he set his jaw. With Thor exiled, his father's watch would be ever more present on him. The only course of action would be to take the throne at this point. Yet, he couldn't do anything too brash. Somehow, he had to convince his father of his worthiness. Assuming Odin was his father.

His eyes subconsciously traveled back to his left arm, and his fingers clenched in response. Then he glanced over his shoulder, back toward the Guardian of Asgard. "Do you know who my birth parents are?"

Heimdall looked over his shoulder in turn. "Why do you ask me when you know already know for yourself?"

He gave a slight nod. He wished he didn't understand the cryptic message, but there was a sinking feeling in his stomach he couldn't ignore. One he hoped was his own paranoia and didn't prove to be the truth. If it did, it would most certainly explain quite a few happenings.

Of course, there was one way to find out his veritable heritage. A way to end the conflict in his heart and mind. Even if it only cause more. He steadied himself. As much as this new journey pained him, he needed to know. How could he be certain of his relationship with Aura if he wasn't certain of himself?

Loki's emerald gaze bore down the physical Rainbow Bridge and to the tall, gleaming palace. His nerves tingled with every step he took, but his determination didn't fade. Asgard's Vault waited for him.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Earth: Providence [Location Remains Undisclosed by Director Fury]**_

 _ **2011**_

Alarms echoed through the concrete halls of Nick Fury's mountain base. Red lights swiveled in the corners of the ceiling, providing the only light. Smoke swirled and clung to the air. Overhead sprinklers and automated extinguishers had been activated. Thick security doors remained bolted shut.

The private location was in total lockdown. No one was getting in. Or out.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent LT Koeing pressed against a black crate in the storage room. Soot stains and beads of sweat on her face. Finally, she able to take a breath, even if only for a moment. She held her gun next to her ear and glanced over her shoulder. "Aura, where are you?"

The thick door to the storage room shattered when met with an enormous fireball.

She kept her head down to avoid the flying debris.

A crimson fire demon strode calmly through the smoke, semi-spaded tail lazily swishing back and forth. Her completely black eyes glimmering with excitement. Her lips formed a grin. "I'm here."

LT loaded her firearm with more freezing pellets. "This is the last time I'm letting you go to sleep without taking Nyquil." Rising, she emptied the magazine then knelt back down. Blew an unruly curl out of her face.

The demon laughed. "Do you honestly continue to think those worthless rounds will freeze me? I've been forced to spend too much time in the cold for something so trivial to bother me." Flames wrapped around her hands, and she threw a mass of fire.

She rolled out of the way. The flames barely missing her arm. "Hey! You already owe me a new leather jacket. Don't add on to your tab because I'll make sure you pay up, lady." Her eyes found the side door, and she took her chance. Narrowly evading an oncoming wall of fire.

The cackling monstrosity followed. "You can't run from me. There's not much base left."

Agent Koeing grinned to herself. "Oh, yes, there is." Banking a corner, she led the fire demon through a vaulted door and down a hidden corridor. Stopping in the middle of a seemingly empty room. "Come get me now, witch."

"Have you finally decided to turn yourself in? Excellent. How would you prefer it? Quick and painful? Or a slow and excruciating roast?" Her charcoal hair became ethereal with flames as she channeled more power.

"Thanks and all for the options, but I'm going to go with neither." LT landed a cold round in between the demon's black eyes, ducked around the resulting retaliation, and bolted from the room. Sealed the door shut with a bio-encrypted lock.

The fiend whirled around, baring slightly more pointed incisors. Her whole form consumed by raging fire. "Do not think I will allow this door to stop me. You will pay for what you've done."

Koeing flashed a smile. "Sorry, sister, but you got another thing coming if you think I've done anything." She punched a code into a keypad by the door.

The barren room filled with carbon dioxide as the temperature steadily lowered to below freezing.

The agent's smile dropped, and she turned away from the small viewing window.

Inside, the partial fire demon screeched. "Don't think I won't get you!" She tried hurling fire at the door, but the CO2 kept her flames at bay as she choked for air. "I will break free." She slammed a fist into the five-inch thick glass. Stumbled and sank to the floor, wheezing.

LT partially turned around. "You know what needs to happen."

Pure black orbs lifted. "Never…" With an exhale of air, she fell limp.

She sighed through her nose as Aura's natural form revealed itself. Rubbed an eye with the heel of her palm then noticed the gun in her hands. With another sigh, she holstered it and hit the red button on the keypad.

The room ventilated and rose to normal temperature.

Agent Koeing stepped into the newly-developed room Director Fury dubbed "the Neutralizer" and knelt by the Asgardian's side. Placed a hand on her shoulder. "Aura, can you hear me? Are you awake?"

No response.

She fell on her rump with a grunt. Rubbed her eyes again and checked her watch.

The holographic display read two fifty two. In the morning.

Her eyes flickered to the still-unconscious young woman, and she pressed a button on the side of the watch.

Momentarily, Nick Fury's crackled over. "You better have a good reason for contacting me at this hour, Agent."

LT nodded. "I do. She turned again, but it was much more intense this time. Her whole body was on fire. And she was after me. Like _after_ me. She wanted to get me for something I've apparently done. I had to use the Neutralizer. I don't know what's going on."

Silence. "This is the third time this month, and we're only two weeks in. Do you know what caused the transformation this time?"

She blew another curl out of her face. "My best guess is another nightmare. She's been having them almost every night I don't give her something to knock her out to sleep. She's homesick. I mean, she's been on Earth since what? The 1300s? Without any contact from her people? I'd be homesick, too. She probably thinks they've forgotten about her. I feel horrible."

"And you said her whole body was on fire?"

"Sir, all due respect, but she's not going to be used as an experiment. Not on my watch. I'm not letting that happen. She's been through enough as it is."

"I never said she would be. I'm trying to understand the situation because she's never caught her body on fire before. Whatever she's having nightmares of is intensifying her abilities. If she gets too uncontrollable and dangerous, we're going to have to pull you out."

Koeing leaned forward for emphasis, even if the director wasn't physically in front of her. "No. I'm not going to abandon her. She needs someone. She needs me. I'm only her third positive female role model in her life. She's sensitive, I know, but I'll get through to her. Peggy did. I won't let her down."

Distant beeping could be heard. "Mother—" Fury sighed. "Let me put you on hold." He picked up another line. "You better have a good reason for contacting me at this hour, Coulson." A pause. "What do you mean an alien weapon? Are you sure?" Another pause. "Then take your people to New Mexico and secure it. And find its owner. A weapon is no good without someone to use it. Keep me updated."

Director Fury returned to his Providence agent. "See if you can find out what's going on with her, so we can keep her contained. I have to go deal with another alien problem, but I'll be in touch."

She gave another nod. "Understood." When the hologram disappeared, she turned back to Aura, smoothing back her tri-colored hair. "Don't worry. I'm not going to let them take me away from you. We'll get you worked out."

* * *

 _ **Seven thirty in the morning.**_

Aura's eyes slowly opened, and a pleasant sizzling sound reached her ears. She looked around after her vision adjusted. Looked at the couch she was on. This wasn't where she originally fell asleep. Why was she here? "LT?"

"In the kitchen, hun," came the response.

She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and shuffled into the kitchen. Blinking at the change in light. Her eyes found a stack of fresh pancakes and the bacon on the griddle. "Breakfast already?"

Agent Koeing smiled as she flipped the bacon. "Aw, come on. It's not that early."

Aura took a seat at the table and shrugged the blanket around her more. She coughed, her voice hoarse. "Feels like it."

The other woman slightly frowned but tried to keep a cheerful attitude. "Did you have any dreams last night?"

Her dark blue eyes flickered over. She remained silent. Her mind was hazy, but she had a feeling. The reason she wanted to stay huddled in the blanket wasn't because she was cold. She wanted protection. Protection from herself.

But she tried remembering. Tried recalling the events that were stuck in the pit of her stomach. There had been a nightmare. One more vivid than she had experienced in some time. That, she remembered.

And the fire.

There was so much fire.

Her mind had been consumed by it. All she wanted was enough power to defend herself from the enemies. She didn't want to be taken by them. Not again. She only wanted a few flames to hopefully scare them away. But she didn't get a few flames. She had unknowingly unleashed a wildfire like she had never seen before.

It burned, raged. It triggered emotions within her she didn't like. She felt anger. Felt…hatred.

She blinked back oncoming tears. The hatred scared her. After all she had been through, she never hated anyone. Not willingly, anyway. She thought she was incapable of it. Had she only suppressed those feelings? Why were they rising now? She didn't want them. She wanted them to go away.

LT placed a plate in front of the Asgardian. "Here you are. Eat up. What would you like to drink?"

Aura startled, blinking some more. She gasped when she looked at the other woman. She clearly remembered now. Remembered chasing the poor woman through the base. Trying to capture her.

Just as she had been captured so many times.

Her eyes squeezed shut, and she looked away. How could Agent Koeing be smiling after what she did to her? She had released the monster inside of her, and the monster wanted revenge. LT had done nothing wrong to her. There was no reason to be taking out anything on her.

"Aura?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm not safe to be around anymore."

LT's brows knitted and she put her arms around the half elf. "Yes, you are. You just have bad dreams and don't know how to handle them is all."

Aura couldn't help herself any longer. She hid her eyes behind her hands, but the tears still slipped through her fingers. "I don't know anything anymore. I don't know who I am. I don't know who my parents are. I don't know about this fire magic. I don't know if I'll ever be saved by Loki. I just don't know."

Agent Koeing placed her hands on the young woman's heaving shoulders. "Well, I know some things. Do you want to hear them?"

Sniffing, she lifted her head. "Sure."

"I know who you are. You are Aura, a sweet, kind, innocent girl. You are an Asgardian with special gifts. I know your parents have been Queen Frigga, Peggy Carter, Howard Stark, and me. Now, I don't know anything about magic, but I do know practice makes perfect. I also know you don't need to wait for anyone to save you. You can save yourself."

She blinked and subconsciously played with the pendant Mr. Stark had given her all those years ago. "I-I really don't know what to say. You've been so nice to me, and I've tried to hurt you so many times. I don't deserve your kindness."

LT grinned. "Oh, come on. You've only hurt my favorite leather jacket. But I can get another one. It's no big deal. Ask yourself. Do you really want to hurt me?"

"No, I don't. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"See? Which is just as good because you wouldn't be able to hurt me anyway." She winked. "You need to learn to trust yourself. I know you have this other side of you you're afraid of, but you need to learn to trust your heart because it's pure and good."

Aura glanced down. "How can I know? I've heard so many stories of the fire demons. They're nothing but monsters seeking destruction. And their women are so lustful—"

Koeing snorted until she started laughing.

"What did I say?"

"I'm sorry, hun, but are you really worried you're going to become lustful?"

Her head sank between her shoulders. "Maybe."

LT rose her brows. "Have you even kissed anybody?"

"No." The Asgardian's face reddened. "But I may have thought about it a couple times."

"You have nothing to worry about. If you were truly a lustful demon, you'd be stalking every living being that moved. Even Director Fury."

Aura's brows furrowed. "Not that he's a bad man, but he is older than I am."

"Aren't you technically older than all of us?"

"Oh. Yes, I guess so."

The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent smiled. "Seriously, though. You don't need anyone to save you. Look at your abilities. You can save yourself. I know you're in a locked situation, but you don't need a man coming in here as your knight in shining armor. Nor a woman. You only need to believe in yourself. Okay?"

She nodded. "Okay."

"Now eat your breakfast. I still can't believe you're so thin. You really need a cheeseburger or something."

Aura watched the other woman get her own plate and sit across from her. "But we have cheeseburgers almost every day for lunch."

LT's brown eyes widened. "I know, and you still haven't gained weight. As much as I envy your figure, I'm worried about your health."

"Oh, please don't be upset with me. I think you're beautiful, and I've always loved your curls. They bounce when you get into heated arguments, and I don't know why, but it tickles me."

She laughed. "I'm not upset with you. I get cranky about being short sometimes. And as far as my hair goes, it only adds to my expression. I do have a question for you, if you don't mind. What did you dream about that made you all fiery?"

Aura dropped her eyes to her plate. "Well, you were in it. And so was Loki. He was trying to come get me, and you wouldn't let him. And then you, well you…killed him, and I got so angry that I went after you. Then all these agents showed up, but they turned into the people who originally brought me to America, and they wanted to capture me again, and I couldn't let it happen."

Koeing's expression softened, and she reached across the table to take the other's hand. "I would not kill the love of your life if he came to rescue you. I would say something to Fury along the lines of 'sorry, but I'm not trained to fight against alien magic. Maybe you should have classes on that.'"

Her face crinkled with a smile. "I don't think he would like that very much."

"No, I wouldn't," came the director's voice as he walked into the kitchen.

Agent Koeing shrugged, not fazed by the unannounced entrance, shoving a pancake bite in her mouth. "It's the answer you'd get."

Fury sent her an impassive glance before to the alarmed Asgardian. "I would like to speak with you."

Aura nodded. Immediately rose with her hands clasped against her chest. "I didn't mean to get anyone in trouble."

"You didn't. I want you to take a look at something."

She nodded again and followed the man into an office.

The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. pressed a button on the desk. A screen emerged from behind two sliding wall panels, and he typed a command. An image appeared, which he pointed to. "Do you know what this is?"

Gasping, she stepped toward the screen. Reaching out to the image of a hammer resting head down in a pile of dirt. "That's Mjolnir."

LT walked in and crossed her arms. "Say that again."

Aura traced the outline of the weapon. "Mjolnir. The chosen weapon of Thor."

Nick Fury rose a brow. "Thor? You've mentioned him a few times."

"Yes. He's the oldest son of Odin, and he never goes anywhere without his hammer."

"So there's a good chance Thor's near to it?"

Her eyes surveyed the image. "I don't know. It's strange to see it stuck like this. How long has it been there?"

He looked at the picture, too. "A handful of hours ago. Give or take."

"He should've retrieved it by now. He's the only one who can move it. Something must be wrong then. But I don't know what that would be. There's no sign of him?"

"Not yet. Tell me again what he looks like?"

Aura closed her eyes for a better mental image. "He's got blonde hair, blue eyes. Pretty much always walks around in his armor with a big, red cape. He also has a lot of muscles. He's a fighter, and a good one from what I've heard."

Koeing chuckled to herself. "Maybe I need to be on the lookout for him."

She faced her. "Most women fawn over him. I think he's okay."

Fury shook his head. "I'm more worried about him being a fighter. If something's wrong, like you say, he's not going to be a happy camper. By the way, Aura, how have your hallucinations been?"

The half elf paused. Looked down. "I don't have them when I'm not in the cold."

"And your dreams?"

"They come and go. But they've been feeling real. Like I'm living in them."

"Do they cause you to lose control of yourself?"

She bit her lip and nodded. "Sometimes."

The director stared at his agent. "I'll keep in touch." He hit a button to make the screen return to its place and walked out.

LT pursed her lips. "I'm certainly glad he stopped by for a pleasure visit. His people skills need improvement."

Aura returned her stare to the space where the photo of Mjolnir had been displayed.

"You okay there, hun?"

"Yeah. I'm okay."

Agent Koeing gave her a sidelong glance as she headed toward the door. "Okay, then. I'll be cleaning up the kitchen if you need me."

The Asgardian couldn't help but grin now that everyone had left. Even though the image had disappeared, she could still clearly see Mjolnir jutting off the mound of dirt. And while Director Fury's voice has been ominous, there was a possibility she wouldn't have to hear it anymore. Her grin broadened into a smile.

If the hammer was here, it most certainly meant Thor was here, too. Even though she didn't care too much for the older prince, there was one good thing about him. Loki was never too far behind him. The brothers were almost inseparable, even when they squabbled.

And if Loki was here, then that meant he had a good chance of finding her. He was excellent at sensing magic. With her recent outburst, surely her air of magic had increased by a certain percentage. He should most definitely be able to find her.

Her cheeks warmed. She could finally be reunited with her love. All she had to do was wait for him to find her.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Deep in Asgard's Palace**_

 _ **Thor's Almost-Coronation Day**_

"Prince Loki," the two guards standing on either side of the Vault doors said in unison.

The god of mischief kept his cool. Even if everything in him told him he shouldn't be taking this path of discovery. Every one of his cells begged him to turn around and continue living life as normal. But he couldn't, could he?

The frost giant's touch had not been masqueraded by any kind of magic. Especially not his own. As much as he wanted to believe his powers took preventative action, he honestly hadn't thought of taking that kind of precaution before leaving Asgard. Regardless, the Jotun who grabbed his arm had revealed something, whether it be his heritage or otherwise.

Perhaps his mother had long ago cast a spell on him so he wouldn't be harmed by Jotuns? Most likely not, seeing as Jotunheim was against many laws to visit. The Casket of Ancient Winters would give him a more definite answer. It was made by their hands, after all.

He acknowledged the guards. Quickly devising an answer they would deem appropriate to let him in. "My father has sent me to take inventory of the Vault, given today's events. I'm also to make sure the Vault's security wasn't damaged. May I?"

The soldiers glanced at one another. Their hesitating expressions not very subtle.

Loki took a small step back and partially turned with a thumb pointed backwards. "Shall I fetch my father and waste his highly sought after time because you question one of his sons?"

They returned to their rigid posts, response simultaneous again. "No, your highness."

"Very well then. I will pass." He kept his vision forward as he strode between them and through the Vault doors. However, he paused on the steps when they closed the doors. Everything within him still screamed.

He needed to indulge his mind's desires this once. Or was it his heart's desires? His heart required to know where it belonged. No, he knew. His heart belonged with Aura. It always had. But that's not the type of belonging he wanted at the moment. Even if he could start a family with her later on, he needed to know who his past family was.

His nostrils flared as he looked down. Was he seriously this scared? Had his spine left him all because a frost giant made his arm turn blue? Was that really all it took to make the cunning youngest prince cower in fear?

Loki's emerald eyes snapped up. He was no coward.

Silent yet deliberate steps carried him down the tiled steps and past the various artifacts and relics proudly displayed on carved pedestals. Carried him until he stood right in front of the Casket.

He took pause. Remembering when he and Thor were small and their father brought them down here to teach them of the Jotun-Asgard War. My, how much simpler times were then. All he had to trouble himself with were studies, learning magic, and making sure he stayed on his mother's good side. Even his father was easier to please. But those days were long forgotten.

It was time to remember a new era.

Inhaling a deep breath, he lifted his arms to reach for the Casket. There was no time like the present, and there was no sense in backing out now. Perhaps nothing would happen. Perhaps he would get a simpler explanation than being someone he didn't know.

Most likely not.

His hands clutched around either side of the Casket of Ancient Winters before he could talk himself out of it. With bated breath and a pounding heart, he lifted the relic of its pedestal. Held it up at eye level.

The same blue that flowed over him in Jotunheim emerged once around on his hands. Faded down his arms.

Loki set his jaw to keep from dropping the Jotun weapon. His lungs tightened. What did this mean? Surely it couldn't mean what he presumed. His chest resonated with every beat his heart took. He didn't know if he could keep up with the oxygen his unease required.

He lifted his gaze when he heard the Destroyer dutifully waking from its post, but it was too late. He couldn't let it go. No. He watched the blue skin consume the rest of his body. And he felt it.

Holding the Casket awakened something within him. He could feel the coldness seeping through his skin, leaking into his veins. Felt the ice forming around the far reaches of his mind. And despite not standing in front of a mirror, he knew his eyes turned red.

Yet, he didn't feel at peace with this transformation. It carried with it regret and sorrow. It was alien. Even with his tendencies for frost magic and the liking of the cooler temperatures.

The new transformation did, indeed, cause him fear. Because it potentially meant that everything he once knew was a lie. An utter, blatant lie. While he already toyed with the idea, he didn't realize how hard the blow would be.

Fire formed within the helmet of the metal sentinel.

"Stop," came a cry as a bang echoed through the Vault.

Loki blinked, searching the Casket and watching the Destroyer retreat behind its lattice. He knew who stood behind him. Fortunately, this time, it wasn't his brother, who once swore to slay every Jotun in sight. "Am I cursed?"

Odin straightened. "No. Please, Loki. Put the Casket down."

He returned the relic to its stand. Chest rapidly rising and falling, he slowly turned around. His pale skin's return not going unnoticed by him. He held out his hand to make sure his father saw it, too. "What am I?"

The Allfather offered his own trembling hand. "You are my son."

"But what more than that?"

Silence.

Loki swallowed. His emerald gaze fell to the floor. The pit in his stomach grew larger, and he was sure his heart would sink into it. This proved it, then. He blinked, slightly shaking his head. He wasn't Asgardian at all. Never had been.

Everything was a lie.

The ebony-haired prince looked back up with sudden realization. "The Casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?"

Odin gripped his staff tighter. He met the young god's stare. "No. It was after the battle that I went to the Temple. I found a baby, small for giant's offspring. It was abandoned, suffering. Laufey's son."

His eyes widened, and he stepped back. "Laufey's son?" He shook his head. This was all too much. He could handle being a frost giant, but the son of the king? Why had he been abandoned? Was it because he was too small? A runt to be left behind for the good of the others? Or was he a sacrifice because he had been found in the temple? Was Odin even telling the truth?

Loki honestly didn't know what to do. Everything felt surreal. He couldn't stop his hands from shaking. His attention finally returned to the king of Asgard. "Why? You were knee deep in Jotun blood. Why, in the Realms, would you take me?"

"You were an innocent child," Odin offered as he took a step forward.

"No. Everything you do has a purpose. You took me for a purpose. What was it?"

More silence.

"Tell me!" he cried with a heaving chest. Eyes frantically searching the Allfather.

"I once thought we could unite our kingdoms. Bring about an alliance of permanent peace," Odin inhaled a wavering breath, "through you. But those plans no longer matter."

Loki's voice filled with sorrow. "So I am nothing more than another stolen relic? A bargaining chip? That's why I've been locked here. Kept here until you have use of me."

"Why do you twist my words?"

His gaze suddenly hardened, his control slipping from him. "I'm not the one with the silver tongue after all. You're the one who's been twisting your words. You could've told me what I was from the beginning. Instead, I've been forced to live this…false identity. Why didn't you tell me?"

Odin sighed. "Because you are my son, Loki. My blood. I have only ever wanted to protect your from the truth."

"What truth? Because I-I-I am the monster parents tell their children about at night?"

The Allfather's tone deepened. "Don't—"

"Oh, it all makes sense now." Loki's voice turned harsh. As cold as the winds of his home Realm. Face reddening with rising passion and fury. "Why you favored Thor all these years. Why nothing I did was ever good enough for you. Why I'll never win your favor to return Aura."

"Listen—"

"Because no matter how much you claim to 'love' me, you could never have a frost giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!" Tears glistened on his cheeks.

Asgard's king raised his hand, a tendril of tiring magic unintentionally flowing from it. Then he grasped Gungnir with both hands. "Loki, please listen to me…" A breath escaped him, and he collapsed against the stairs.

Loki paused as his exhale caught. "What have I done?" He rushed over to the fallen king's body and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Father?" He suddenly felt like a small boy again, fearful and powerless. Surely his emotions hadn't summoned any magic. But this didn't look like anything he would do. His powers had their own signature, and what surrounded his father wasn't his.

He lifted his hand. Hovered it over Odin. This magic wasn't his own. It felt like his father's. But a more ancient one than what he was accustomed to feeling. What was this? What was going on?

"Guards," he managed. No, they couldn't hear him. His voice cracked with the rise in volume. "Guards."

The two soldiers guarding the Vault doors rushed in, immediately dropping to their king's aid.

One of them turned to the prince. "What happened?"

Loki swallowed, shaking his head. "I-I don't know. We were conversing…he fell. I don't know what happened."

The second guard looked up. "We should take him to the healing chambers."

The first guard frowned. "That will draw too much attention."

"Then what would you suggest?"

Loki's moment of panic cleared. "Take him to my mother. She knows him better than anybody. If anyone can help him, it's her."

The pair of soldiers nodded and lifted Odin, transporting him to the queen.

He momentarily remained on the steps of the Vault. Trying to process everything that had just occurred. He placed a hand on his stomach, feeling like he was going to be sick. This was too much for even him to handle. And he didn't have any idea on where to begin handling this situation.

Bottom jaw sliding open, he finally fell to one knee. His whole being trembling. He couldn't intake enough air. Couldn't get his heart to slow its pace. The tears drying on his skin did nothing to cool his warm face.

The door to Asgard's Vaults slid closed with a gentle thud.

He was alone.

Good.

The overwhelming sensation of the emotions caused him to drop to all fours. He couldn't hold back any longer. With a fresh round of tears escaping him, he screamed with frustration. Balled his hands and rested his forehead on them. The trembling increased to shuddering.

His burning chest swelled with every inhale. But it did all make sense now. Odin was never going to allow him the throne because of his heritage. He couldn't control where he had been born. Nor had he ever been told. How could he have known? There was nothing he could do to change that fact.

Then why was he given the same chance and hope as Thor to one day win the crown? Had he been nothing but competition for Thor to make him a better man? Not that it worked. But the fact remained. He had been simply another grooming tool for Thor.

This was why Aura had been banished, too, wasn't it? Odin couldn't have a Jotun mingling with his slaves. Much less, a Jotun prince. Would Aura's healing magic have one day found that out?

Aura. What would she think of all this? Half of her magic was based in fire. She loved warmth. Loved being in the sun and heat. Everything he could never give her. He could only provide her with the cold. The one thing she hated most.

How many times had she lamented to him about the chill of the night? He had to sneak her in blankets because the servants weren't provided with any. All the remarks of his hands being too cold when he would hug her. She hated the cold, which was every bit apart of her nature.

Even her light elf side helped in enjoying warmth. Alfheim was considered a paradise even more perfect than Asgard, although Odin never admitted it. The Realm of the Light Elves was filled with nothing but light and the pleasant warm feeling that made you feel fuzzy inside. Aura had never been there, but her instinctual desire for heat would never go away.

Would she hate him upon learning of his true identity? He would tell her when they were reunited. There was no way he could lie to her like everyone had lied to him. She deserved nothing but the truth from him. But would she hate him?

He released another exclamation, clenching his fists tighter.

All of this had come about because of his selfishness. He wanted her back so badly, he never once stopped to think of the consequences that could result.

Although….

This wasn't entirely his own fault. Odin had been the one who chose not to tell him who he really was. Odin was the one who spent years filling him with false hope that one day he could be king. Odin was the one who disapproved of Aura and banished her to who knew where in the Nine Realms. Odin was the cause of the majority of this.

Odin was currently unconscious, and he didn't know why.

Loki's eyes found the spear that was left on the steps. Pushing himself to sit on his knees, he finally took Gungnir in his hand. The unbridled power surging within it almost made him drop it. Almost.

Powerful magic wasn't something he was unfamiliar with. His mother used to tell him how she thought he was one of the most powerful beings in the Realms. At first, he thought the sentiments were simply a mother's doting. However, the more time he spent around other magic users twice his age, the more he began to see her point.

It was no secret his abilities could get him in trouble. But what did they expect when his source of power came from chaos itself? He was constantly walking the fine line between good and evil. It was one of the reasons he had to so quickly learn how to control his emotions. If he allowed them free reign, it was no telling what he would do.

And the feeling that barraged him the most at the moment? Sorrowful desperation. A potentially nasty place for a being like him to be in.

He was suddenly desperate to find his place in this Realm, in any Realm. He was desperate to learn about his true family and heritage. He was desperate to embrace the frozen magic within him. Desperate to be reunited with the love of his life. And he was desperately clinging on to the idea that he needed to take the throne of Asgard to do so.

His thumb ran along the smooth and perfect metal of the king's chosen weapon. It was cool to the touch and felt good in his hand. Newly concocted plans swirled within his mind. With Thor banished and Odin troubled with an unknown disease, Asgard was without a ruler.

Although, many would question his sudden claim to power. But he wouldn't completely claim the throne, would he? He would simply act as a stand-in for the Allfather. Asgard couldn't lose hope the old fool would return to them. The people were set in their ways and would be lost without him.

Even as substitute ruler, he could still manage to take control of some powers reserved for the throne. Such as returning Aura from her banishment. It showed he had some authority without indulging in all of it. But, if he did that, the people would ask him to return their beloved Thor. However, there were certain protocols with politics he couldn't expect them to understand.

But even if all of this could pan out, there was still one problem. The king had a queen, and technically, she would be the stand-in for him. Well, it was a good thing he knew how to pander to his mother's soft spots. Especially if he explained his desire to return Aura to them. Besides, Frigga would have her hands full making sure Odin was taken care of. She didn't need to be bothered with the burden of the throne.

Then it was settled. The perfect opportunity had all but fallen in his lap. There was no need to waste it. Only Odin, he, and most likely Frigga knew of his true heritage. As far as the people of Asgard were concerned, he was still one of them. There was no need for them to know in this volatile time. They needed a strong, stable leader until Odin could return.

Loki pulled himself off the steps with the spear. Ignoring the side of his brain that kept him sane. Ignored the part of his brain that kept him from crossing the fine line. Creativity was indispensable for the upcoming events. All he had to do was play his cards right, and everyone would get what they wanted.

Taking a deep breath, he straightened his tunic. Raised a hand to slick back his hair. Paused. He still needed to seem slightly disheveled because he mourned for his father. Not that it was too hard given his facial appearance. His eyes may be sunken in with his distress, but he didn't let that keep his trademark smirk from caressing his pale lips.


	17. Chapter 17

Cautious steps carried Loki to the gilded door of the room in which they placed his father.

Where they placed Odin.

His eyes momentarily fluttered. Even if the new turn of events made sense, it didn't make it any more bearable. He had understood for many years he was severely different from the rest of the family, but he assumed he was nothing more than the odd one out. The one who preferred magic over strength. Brain over brawn.

Well, he had always wondered where his black hair came from. He assumed it was a strain gene from someone previously in the family. Much as what happens with gingers. But no. It couldn't be that simple, could it?

At least no one in the palace approached him as he carried the royal spear through the halls filled with people. But word spread quickly, especially when it was in regards to the king. They simply dipped their heads in respect when he passed, and they didn't even throw questioning glances at Gungnir. They most likely assumed he had been charged with taking it to his father's chambers.

No. Odin's chambers.

He stopped before the doors with a grimace. Ignoring the soldier on guard. His stomach still churned, leaving an acidic taste in his mouth.

One of Odin's epithets was Allfather. Implying Asgard's king was the father of all. Was that why the old man took him in? To live up to one of his namesakes? To prove to himself he could be what the people called him?

His grip tightened on the spear, and he could feel a surge of power coming from it. Closing his eyes, his nostrils flared with a deep inhale. The power felt incredible—

"Loki."

The mischief god's eyes snapped back open. Startled to see his mother had opened the door and stood in front of him. Or did he refer to her as Frigga now? No…that broke his heart. For now, she would always be his mother.

Frigga stared at the king's chosen weapon, concern swirling within her eyes. Then she found her son's gaze. "I see you've come to return Gungnir."

"Yes." He gave a slight nod. "And to check on him."

Her brows lifted, but the sorrow etched in her face couldn't be masked over. "Come in. There's no need to linger out here like an outsider."

Loki glanced at her as he entered the room. She said that with a purpose. Her words were never wasted. Did she know he knew about his true heritage? Of course she did. She knew everything. That's what made her such a powerful figure.

Asgard's queen quietly made her way to her station at her husband's bedside. Reaching through the healing shield and taking his hand. "Why don't you join me?"

With a glance at the weapon in his hand, he moved without further need for instruction. Placing the spear at the end of the bed, Odin caught his eye.

It was strange to see the long-running ruler of this Realm trapped within the confines of his bed. His father was pale, and his features were lifeless. He looked of death, but the faint movements of his chest confirmed otherwise. Regardless, he was vulnerable at the moment. Strange to only have one guard at the door.

Then again, no one knew the true abilities of the great Frigga. She may have the healing touch of a mother, but what else was hidden behind her smirk? He wasn't even sure if the Allfather knew what she capable of. It was one of the reasons he cringed whenever his father would underestimate her. Or worse. Pushed her buttons.

"He's in Odinsleep," Frigga said with an offered small smile. "That's what I call it, anyway."

Loki blinked, taken from his thoughts. He sat next to her. Maintaining a watchful eye on the king. "What is it, exactly? I feel like I've seen him this way before, but it's almost like a vague memory."

"He likes to keep it that way. Your father is a powerful being who wields a highly magical weapon. You of all people should know how much of a toll it can take on your body and mind. But he never rests, so he ends up in periods like this."

He set his jaw and slightly turned away. "But he's not my father."

She took a deep breath. "I knew this day would come, and I feared on how it would be handled. There were so many times I almost told you myself. I couldn't bear knowing what it would do to you if we let it go unspoken for too long."

"Why didn't you tell me? I would've rather it have been from you."

"I know. But you know how he is. He wanted to be the one to do it. Said it was his responsibility. Yet, he never could bring himself to face you. I begged him to be honest with you since the beginning. There should be no secrets in a family."

"So why did he really lie? I know it wasn't because he couldn't face me. He's faced me on many things."

Frigga looked at him. "I know he can seem cruel, but he kept the truth from you so you would never feel different. You are our son, Loki. We are your family. You must know that."

Shaking his head, he refused to make eye contact with her. Instead, keeping his gaze locked on Odin. Never feel different. How that had backfired. It was Odin who made him feel isolated from the family. It was the Allfather who had left him with a sense of disappointment and anger.

"I know that feeling you're exuding. What's on your mind, my son?"

Loki sighed through his nose. He couldn't be mad at his mother. Never. "I can't help but wonder if I wasn't good enough because I've always been a frost giant."

"Who ever said you weren't good enough?"

"He did. Many times."

The queen regarded him. "What do you mean? He never once told me anything negative about you. Only that he feared your rapidly growing skills with magic. If you have grievances with him, you can speak to him. Even now, he can see and hear us."

His eyes slightly widened. Of course she would wait to tell him this until now. He returned his attention back to Odin. There was nothing he wanted to say to him. Not because he couldn't face his father. Because he would be met with reasoning and defenses from his mother.

He loved his mother dearly, but he would never understand how she could love Odin. Although Asgard's days of peace have been plentiful, he was still a king who sought only the best for his Realm. Even if it meant tearing apart his own family. He knew his mother had her own grievances, but she had always been an expert at hiding them from her two sons.

Loki slightly shook his head. "How long will it last?"

Frigga frowned that he had nothing more to say, but she let it slide. "I honestly don't know. This time is different. We were unprepared."

"I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing him like this. The most powerful being in all the Nine Realms lying helpless in a bed until his body restores itself."

"He's put it off for so long now. I-I fear…"

The god of mischief quickly took her hand, which he was surprised to feel trembling. It was difficult for anything to make his mother anxious. Yet, it was no secret she was truly afraid that her husband might not wake up this time. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm sure he'll be fine."

Frigga wiped away a few rogue tears and put an arm around her youngest. "You have always been a good son, Loki. I dare anyone to tell me otherwise."

He looked up at her, uncertain on how to process that information. However, he found her embrace comforting, and he wasn't keen on breaking the moment.

"We mustn't lose hope your father will return to us. As well as your brother."

His brows furrowed. "What hope is there for Thor? He's no more fit for the throne than a drunken dwarf."

"Everything your father does has a purpose. Even if we don't realize it. Thor may find his way back to us, yet."

Loki closed his eyes. "Just as Aura may find her way back to us?"

She drew in a sharp breath. "Please don't make this harder than it already it."

"Do you know how hard it is for me to wake up every day knowing I can't help her? I've looked for her. All those times Heimdall had reported me missing from his Sight? I've been scouring the Realms for her. I can't find her. My magic is worthless. I am worthless."

"You are not worthless. You will find a path to succeed. You always have. I don't agree with her banishment any more than you do, but I'm sure there was a purpose."

He turned so he could meet her gaze. "Then tell me. Because I most certainly can't think of one other than to punish me. She did nothing wrong."

Sighing, she closed her eye and turned away. "I cannot say for certain."

"That's what I thought." With a set jaw, he rose. Headed for the door. But he paused.

Armored footsteps could be heard on the other side. One of the Einherjar guards entered the room. His face ashen beneath his helmet, armor ancient compared to the regular soldiers. He was one of the elite. A warrior who had fallen in battle, been brought to Valhalla by the Valkyries, and now served as a special forces under the king.

Loki's eyes flickered to his mother. What was one these soldiers doing?

The Einherjar's pale eyes didn't move, but it was clear he spoke to the raven-haired prince. "Lady Sif and the Warrior's Three demand a royal presence."

He rose a brow. Okay. What was he supposed to do about it?

The queen rose and gingerly took Gungnir in her hands. Approached her son. "Thor has been banished. You do realize the line of succession falls to you. Until your father awakens, Asgard is yours."

The ghostly soldier kneeled.

Loki's eyes slightly widened, and he hoped he displayed more shock rather than excitement. Part of him had wondered if he would have to make a ploy against his mother. He guessed not. This was much simpler than he thought. All that needed to happen was royal business to attend to. And here it was.

However, this seemed too easy. "What about you, mother? Are you not the queen?"

"I would rather stay with him. Besides," she pursed her lips in a knowing manner, "this is your chance to prove yourself. Make your father proud. Just remember that even the greatest of Realms can fall with the best intentions."

He hesitated before taking the spear. Energized with the flow of power it gave him. His eyes shimmered with a certain unbridled glee. Silently thanking his mother, he headed for the throne room, the Einherjar in tow.

Although his strides carried him with confidence, his mother's parting sentence made him uneasy. "The greatest of Realms can fall with the best intentions." She knew, then, didn't she? Knew he craved the throne and why. Of course she did. She knew everything.

But he wasn't worried about his intentions. He intended on keeping Asgard peaceful, its people safe, and bringing Aura back home. It was the spear in his hand that worried him. While he had mastered many forms of magic, Gungnir was a completely separate entity. Its magic was raw, radiating. It seeped into him as if he were a sponge.

He feared the effect it would have on his own abilities. The two might not mingle at all.

Or they might merge too well.

His "control" was always on that fine line. There was no way to control chaos. It was why it was called chaos. And when chaos met unrestrained power…well, he hoped it wouldn't come to that.

If anything could explain the deeds his father had done, it had to be spending too much time with the spear. No wonder he needed Odinsleep.

Loki carefully took each step up on the golden dias until he stared down the throne face to face. He inhaled a deep breath, the crackling of the fires at the base of the steps a comfort to him. If anything would remind him of his intentions, it would be those flames.

Using his magic, he adorned his head with his helmet and his back with his cape. It would only seem fitting that a new king be presented in full regalia. He pivoted and slowly sat in the carved ruling seat. Sprawled out his legs.

The leather was getting tight, and he needed to breathe. Plus, it showed an open position, right? It would make people feel more comfortable with speaking to him, yes? Or was it too dominating of a position? That would turn people away from him, especially since he was dressed in armor. Was the helmet too much?

He fidgeted. Why was he so nervous? He shouldn't be nervous; he had thought about this moment all his life. Prepared for it. Then why was he questioning every action he made? Why was he confusing his decisions? He knew what he needed to do. All he had to do was, well, do it.

Before he could contemplate anything else, the Einherjar entered with those who wished to see a member of royalty.

Sif and the Warriors Three entered with heads bowed. Of course, Sif led the group and spoke for them. "Allfather, we must speak with you."

They lifted their heads. Shock transpiring on all their faces.

"What is this?" Volstagg asked.

Loki tried his best to sound calm and regal. "My…friends. Have you not heard? I am now the ruler of Asgard."

Fandral seemed impressed, but it didn't stop him from asking the obvious. "Where's Odin?"

"My father has fallen ill with the Odinsleep. My mother fears he may never wake up again."

Sif's expression betrayed her uncertainty. "We would speak with her."

Loki couldn't help his brows rising. He knew she thought he lied to them, but what reason would he have to lie? His mother had rightfully passed on the throne to him. There was nothing against the laws about this. "She refuses to leave his side. You can bring any urgent matters to me. Your king."

The Lady blinked. "Alright. We ask, then, for you to end Thor's banishment."

"My first command cannot be to undo my father's last. We are on the brink of war with Jotunheim due to Thor's actions. Our people must have a sense of continuity to feel safe in these difficult times."

The four in front of him exchanged glances.

Although he inwardly sighed, Loki continued as pleasantly as he could muster. They truly didn't understand the ways of politics. "We must all stand together. For the good of Asgard."

Fandral gave a definite nod. "Of course."

The others continued sharing dubious looks.

The temporary king watched all their subtleties with rapt attention. If anyone proved to be a challenge for them, it would be this bunch right here. Possibly with the exception of Fandral, but he would still go along with the others for the sake of reducing conflict. Same with Volstagg. While Hogun preferred not to speak, he was a keen observer, and everyone knew to take what he said seriously. He could be a problem. But the main issue would be Sif.

He honestly didn't know why. Yes, he had some mischievous fun with her when they were young. Her hair did use to be golden like Thor's. But was her grudge seriously from that, though? He had the magic to restore her hair, but at this point, he had no desire to. He wondered if she was jealous he had more of Thor's attention than her.

Whatever the case, she hated him with an unexplained passion. And she used any excuse to make him appear like the villain. She would most likely spread rumors he took the throne by force. Any of which, his mother could easily expel. No one could make Frigga do anything she didn't want to do.

Loki noted they still stood in place. "Is there anything else I can help you with? You know you can bring your needs to me."

Lady Sif searched him. "No. No, that was all."

The four of them bowed their heads and turned to walk out.

However, Fandral snuck him a thumbs up and a smile to the inherited king.

Loki smirked back. He didn't know what he had done to earn Fandral's admiration, but the Warrior had always been nice to him. Supportive of him, even. Fandral had joined him on many of his impish escapades. Perhaps that was why he liked him. Not that he minded having a friend other than his brother.

He settled further into the throne, staring at the double doors. He could return Thor. Not that he would before he returned Aura, but he did have the power to bring back his brother. But it broke every basic code of politics. The Realm needed a sense of order. Especially if his reign was temporary, he couldn't blatantly negate all of his father's rulings.

His fingers wrapped tighter around the spear. He rather enjoyed sitting here and taking in his newfound position. It was peaceful. Quiet, save for the soothing fires. His brain could clearly think.

And hear the whispers that had already begun in the back of his mind.


	18. Chapter 18

Loki paced in front of the throne, contemplating his next move. Some things bothered him, and he wasn't sure why or what to do with them.

His mother had made a point to say Thor would find a way home. Which he most likely would. As much trouble as the dim-witted god could get himself into, he always returned home. Even with all odds stacked against him.

This posed a problem.

If Thor returned before the temporary king could restore Aura, then all of the efforts leading up to this will have been in vain. He couldn't waste this opportunity. He needed to act upon it. But how? What could he do to make the most out of this fortunate situation?

A soldier approached the base of the throne and knelt. "Is something bothering you, your highness?"

Loki came to an abrupt halt. He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. His first instinct was to tell the guard off. Send him away with a scathing reproach. No, he couldn't do that, could he? He was acting king. He needed to remain calm and civilized. "I'm simply assessing the situation at hand."

"Is there any way I can be of assistance to you?"

His fingers twitched, but he offered a smile. "No, I'm afraid not. However, I do perform my best thinking alone."

"All due respect, sire, with the frost giant invasion, I think you should have an escort with you at all times."

One of Loki's brows slightly rose. This man kneeling before him truly sought his safety. This was an interesting turn of events. He expected the whole Realm to have revolted by now. Especially since Sif knew he sat on Asgard's head seat. This aroused his curiosity.

He fully turned to face the soldier in front of him. "If I ask you a question, would you answer honestly? There would be no rebuke for it, as I've requested it from you."

The guard hesitated, but he lifted his gaze. "So long as you wish to know the truth, I will do my best to fulfill your questions."

"What is the people's opinion of me?"

More pausing. "From what I have heard, the majority support you."

"But?"

"However, there are a few who think you'll lead Asgard onto a path of destruction with this new threat from Jotunheim. They don't think you're capable of handling the responsibility."

The god of mischief spoke more to himself than the soldier. "Is that so?"

The sentry bowed his head again. "I can assure you, you have my support. Anyone of your royal family would be fit to rule this Realm."

Loki allowed another small smile. "Then I would say you have a reasonable head on your shoulders. But I do think my best when I'm alone. Would you and the other guards be so kind as to stand outside the doors? Just so I may have peace?"

"Of course, my lord." With a swift movement, he rose and motioned for the other handful of guards to leave the throne room.

His smile faded into a frown after the doors closed. So there were those who didn't deem him fit enough to lead Asgard through this decisive time? Most likely because they assumed his brother would be more suited for the job.

Now, he loved Thor as much, if not more, than everybody else. However, he couldn't allow the blonde buffoon to interfere with his plans. Not this time. His stakes were too high. The reward was too valuable.

But what to do?

He pivoted and planted himself on the throne. Subconsciously grabbed the spear. Rolling his neck as a wave of magic coursed down his arm and through his body. The magic wanted to be used. Wanted to be liberated.

It wanted to play with the chaos.

Quickly setting the spear down, he rubbed trembling hands over his face.

This was not good.

He closed his eyes to regain his control. Exhaled a short breath with his hands clasped vertically against the center of his head. How was he supposed to rule Asgard with a steady approach when he couldn't align his powers to match that of Gungnir's? How was he supposed to stay on the good side of the line when the untapped potential of the king's chosen weapon wanted nothing but to unleash his own potential?

Was this Odin's way of protecting his most prized possession? It would be easy to keep it out of the hands of ill-doers if the spear drove the wielder insane. No one could use it for evil if they couldn't even pass the test of holding it for prolonged periods of time.

Loki looked at the weapon through a side long glance. Was Odin so paranoid he might one day assume the throne, he fashioned it so it wouldn't meld with his magic? That only made him sound paranoid. But it would make sense. Although, no one knew the true signature of his magic.

Not even himself.

The most obvious answer to this conundrum was the source of his power: the chaos.

His nostrils flared with his thoughts. He had never fully tested his abilities. Many times, he wanted to cross that bridge, but common sense kept him on safe ground. If he crossed to the other side, he didn't know if he could come back. Didn't know if even Aura had the ability to redeem him to the side of good.

It wasn't something he really wanted to test. Except for when he held Gungnir.

He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. It was imperative he remained focused. Stay on the tasks at hand. He wouldn't be reigning king for long, so he needn't stress so much about the spear. All he had to do was make it until Odin awakened from his sleep.

Perhaps that was something he should begin doing. Taking a nap when it convenienced him. He shook his head. Here came the cynicism. But he couldn't help it. Not every day did one find out their true father was the king of Jotunheim, their whole life had been a lie, and they didn't know who they were anymore.

No, he knew who he was. The man who loved Aura.

His gaze hardened. First thing he needed to do was make sure Thor didn't return to Asgard. For some time, at least. He only required enough time bring back his love. Then he could deal with the Jotunheim problem.

He gingerly picked up the spear. With its capabilities, he could channel his magic more effectively. Hopefully making it easier to find his brother somewhere amongst the Nine Realms. Thor's signature was unique, but he wasn't incredibly confident in his abilities since he couldn't use them to locate Aura.

 _What if he killed Odin and remained as Asgard's new and total ruler?_

Loki paused, searching the air in front of him. Where did that come from? As much as Odin made him miserable, he didn't want to kill the old man. Regardless, it wouldn't reflect well on him if the people found out he was behind it.

 _Then get someone else to perform the deed._

No! He would not. His purpose for wanting the throne was to prove everyone he would handle it well. Murdering the Allfather only proved he was the villain. He was not the villain. Just because most assumed he was didn't make him one.

He gripped the spear in sudden desperation. He was not the villain. Not…the villain. He wasn't going to murder Odin.

 _Because you're weak._

Clenching his jaw, he rose. Staring at the smooth tile beneath his feet. "Get out of my head!"

The soldier who spoke to him before rushed into the throne room. "Sire? I heard an exclamation."

Loki pointed Gungnir at him. "Out."

"Yes, my lord." He bowed and ducked out.

His chest rose and fell with hard breaths. This was not about Odin. Currently, this was about Thor. He must find Thor before Thor found his way home. Releasing a long exhale, he returned to his seat.

He closed his eyes for concentration. Using his magic to feel for his brother's energy. He found it in an instant. A desert place on Midgard. More specifically, a makeshift facility surrounding Mjolnir in a desert place on Midgard.

One of his brows rose. The humans had found both his brother and the hammer. Interesting. Was Thor really this powerless? Maybe he didn't need to speak with him after all. It could be some time before Thor found a way to return home. No. That wasn't his brother's style.

With almost no effort, he cast a perfect projection of himself into the room where the god of thunder was tied. Keeping his decoy invisible as a Midgardian currently spoke to his brother.

The real Loki shook his head and inwardly sighed. Such a shame the mighty Thor could be stripped to such a helpless state. Ironic this happened at the same time Odin fell victim to his sleep. Had Thor's banishment and the untimely frost giant reveal truly been too much for the old man? Then the bigger disgrace belonged to the Allfather, who couldn't even handle dealing with his children.

The man who was clearly in charge of this human operation finally exited.

He allowed his projection to become visible and audible to his brother. "I didn't think he would ever leave."

Thor lifted his head, eyes widening. "Brother? What are you doing here?"

His expression remained solemn. Although, he was amused Thor studied his projection's simple black suit and patterned scarf. Of course he knew what to wear in Midgard. This wasn't his first time on the Realm. "I had to see you."

"Tell me. What has happened? Is it Jotunheim? Please allow me to explain to father—"

"Father is dead." His words startled him. Why was this his first response? Because one of his many voices told him to slay the Allfather not that long ago? Would he end up killing Odin? Surely not.

Thor's bottom jaw slid open as he struggled comprehending the words spoken to him. "At least…tell me what happened."

The decoy kept his hands clasped in front of him. "Your banishment, the imposing threat of Jotunheim. It was honestly too much for him to bear."

The fallen god slightly turned away.

Loki made his image step closer. He knew what scrolled through his brother's mind. "You mustn't blame yourself. I've always known you loved him. I tried telling him so, but he refused to listen to me. It was cruel of him. Putting the hammer within your reach and knowing you could never lift it."

Thor's eyes glazed over, losing himself in thought.

"The burden of the throne has fallen to me now."

The god of thunder lifted his gaze. "Can I return home?"

Loki's nostrils flared, but his projection remained still. The sorrow in his brother's eyes and voice were almost too much for him to tolerate. But rescuing Aura meant he had to do what was required to be done. Thor could return when all was finished. "The truce established with Jotunheim is conditional upon your exile. Surely, you must understand this."

"But could we not find another—"

"No." He was this far into the story, he might as well keep going. "Even mother has forbidden your return in order to keep our Realm safe."

Thor's head lowered again, and he nodded.

"I'm afraid this is goodbye, brother. I'm so incredibly sorry."

"No. I am the one who is sorry. This is my own doing. Loki," he blinked several times, "thank you for coming here to tell me."

Loki's chest tightened. "Nothing could've stopped me." He rendered his decoy invisible once again but allowed Thor to still hear his voice. "Farewell, my brother."

Thor's voice was barely above a whisper. "Goodbye."

He set his jaw and teleported the projection of the room. His heart ached, but this was the price he had to pay. Because his heart suffered an even greater pain. One he urgently needed to fix after too many years of failure.

His interest piqued, however, when his decoy emerged next to the famed hammer of his brother's. It jutted out of pillar of dirt. Clearly unable to be moved.

Perhaps he could lift it? He wasn't sure what the requirements of the "power of Thor" were, but Thor had always been true to himself. Since he had found about his inherited nature, it would make since to say he was now true to himself, yes? Would that qualify him for lifting the hammer?

It would be easy to find out.

 _Two weapons fit for the one, true king._

Loki transferred his physical being into the projection while remaining unseen by the Midgardians. Took a deep breath as he wrapped his hands around Mjolnir's handle. Pulled.

No result, save for the knot glowing then fading away.

His expression blanked. So this was how it was going to be? He eyed the hammer. It made sense Odin made sure Mjolnir would be tied to Thor alone. Even if Thor was momentarily cut off from its power.

With a glare to the inanimate object, he disappeared from Midgard in a swirl of emerald and gold light and returned to the throne room. Thankfully, the persistent soldier wasn't loitering around the throne.

So. Thor was taken care of for the time being. What was the next step?

Finalizing the issue with Jotunheim.

That would be simple. All he had to do was venture to the land of the frost giants and speak with Laufey.

His father.

Loki paused, no longer afraid. He had the confidence of his magic returned to him. The confidence of his supposedly silver tongue increased. If anything, he knew how to talk his way out of a situation. It had almost worked with Laufey before. It shouldn't be too hard to repeat.

He stored Gungnir in his pocket dimension reserved for items placed on hold until further use was required of them. There was no need for a common vagabond to get ahold of it. He was the one in charge of keeping it safe, after all.

Confident strides carried him out the throne room doors.

The soldier obsessed with being his protector stopped him, dropping to one leg again. "Your highness, where are you going?"

The mischief maker tilted his head. He had never once asked anyone to kneel to him, but he was growing rather fond of the gesture. "I'm leaving to strike an accord with Jotunheim."

"Should not one of us go with you?"

"No, I think I can handle myself on this one. I would prefer to have all of Asgard's forces present here. To guard my father and this Realm itself, should any more frost giants try sneaking in behind my back. If soldiers remain here, Jotunheim might feel safer to settle in peace."

The guard nodded and returned to his post. "As you wish, sire."

Loki gave a nod in turn. Making his way to the Bifrost. Heimdall would be an interesting obstacle to deal with.

With his usual stoic nature, the Gatekeeper stared down the newly-instated king striding down the Rainbow Bridge. "Why are you coming to me when Asgard needs a leader?"

"Because I need to restore the peace that once existed between this Realm and Jotunheim." One of Loki's brows cocked. "Surely you of all people should know this."

"Then you should know Laufey does plan on attacking quite soon."

"Which is why I'm going to deal with this matter now. In person."

Heimdall's golden eyes swirled. "You are not in full regalia."

Loki glanced down at his attire. "How astute of an observation. But no, I'm not. Asgard needs a logical king, not a warrior one. With any skill, I should be able to convince Laufey it's best for him and his people to leave us alone."

"Will you tell him?"

His cheekbones became more pronounced with his setting jaw. "Whether I do or not is none of your concern. May I pass to Jotunheim to broker a new truce or not?"

Asgard's guardian remained silent for several minutes. His stare unnerving. "Very well. I will grant you passage but only for a short time. You are not the only one who can pinpoint locations."

Loki's eyes flashed. He hadn't thought about concealing himself when he visited Thor. Undoubtedly, Heimdall heard his lie about Odin being dead. But certainly the Gatekeeper knew his underlying motivation for all of this. Thor would be easy to fix once he rescued his beloved. Unfortunately, he had to tend to more pressing matters than his brother's hurt feelings.

He threw a sidelong glance to the Guardian as he approached the Bifrost's door. "Does Aura still wish for you to not tell me where she is?"

Heimdall's gaze flickered. "She has not spoken to me during her present day. However, she remains safe." He inserted to sword into the controlling mechanism and activated the Rainbow Bridge. Watched the portal come to life. "Loki?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful what you hide from me."

The god of mischief looked over his shoulder. Not caring to respond to that statement, he stepped into the Bifrost, shooting into Jotunheim.

Frigid air greeted him, as before, but this time, he allowed it to electrify his senses. Allowed it to seep into his skin and, ironically, warm his heart. Since the others weren't with him this time, he was allowed to facially express how calm and pleased he felt here.

Technically speaking, he was home.

Although, it didn't feel entirely like home, as content as it made him. This was still a wasteland. And its inhabitants would undoubtedly still be hostile toward him. He didn't blame them; he appeared as an Asgardian, after all.

He flexed his fingers and enshrouded himself from Heimdall's Sight. It did not go unnoticed by him that the Gatekeeper referred to him by his first name, not an official title. There was a funny observation about the man. While he was extremely devoted to the throne, he was known to commit righteous treason.

This could potentially pose another problem. Heimdall could be unpredictable, albeit reasonable. However, Asgard's Guardian would have to wait until his journey to Jotunheim was completed.

What should he say to Laufey? To his father? He wasn't entirely sure. Perhaps he would confess who he was, perhaps not. Eh, he'd just go along with the feeling he received from the Jotuns. Not that he had much time to prepare on his walk.

Loki reached the temple and stepped among the ruins without the apprehension of his first visit. His gaze remained on Laufey, even as other frost giants surrounded him.

The Jotun king walked out from his soldiers. A familiar smirk on his face. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you."

The god of mischief smirked in turn. "Because I've come alone and unarmed."

Laufey looked him up and down. "If you can call magic unarmed. But to what end?"

"To offer another proposition."

A wave of realization passed over the frost giant's face, and he chuckled. "So you're the one who let us into Asgard."

Loki smiled. "You're welcome."

"My men are dead, and I do not have the casket. You're nothing but a deceiver." Laufey reached out and grabbed the raven-haired prince by the throat.

If this was any other situation, he would've already stabbed the aggressor. However, he figured this was the best way for the Jotuns to find out his heritage. He glanced down at his true father's hand then lifted his eyes. "I never once promised the safety of your men, nor did I promise a complete success."

He knew the blue began its path across his skin. "You have no idea what I am." From the astonished expressions on the surrounding faces, his hidden color must be visible enough. His smile broadened as he kept eye contact with the king. "Hello, father."

Laufey snarled, releasing him. But intrigue flashed in his crimson eyes. Scrutinizing the visitor, he circled. "Ah, so you're the unwanted son. I presumed Odin had killed you; it's what I should've done. Alas, he's as weak as you are."

Loki released an amused exhale. If he revealed even a fraction of his true power, his biological father would have a different tone. However, this was not the time nor the place for such a display. Tactful words were required for this venture.

A strategy began forming in the back of his mind, and he trusted it. Allowed his words to flow freely. "How am I weak? I now rule Asgard until Odin awakens from a sleep he may never recover. Perhaps you should not have abandoned me so carelessly."

The frost giant king slightly tilted his head with further inspection. "Or perhaps it was the wisest decision I have ever made. I will hear your proposition."

His hands clasped behind his back. "I will conceal you and a handful of your chosen warriors. I'll lead you directly into Odin's chambers where you can slay him where he lies. I remain ruler of Asgard, and you will finally have your precious Casket."

"Why would you do this?"

"When all is done, we will have a permanent peace between our two Realms. Then I, the unwanted son, will have accomplished what Odin could not."

Laufey looked back his warriors lining the temple walls. "Then this is a great day for Jotunheim. Asgard is ours."

"Uh, no." Loki chuckled at the shocked look he received. "Asgard will remain mine. As far as the other Realms go, I don't honestly care. So long as you do what you're told. Asgard remains the strongest Realm, don't forget."

A slight pause. "I accept."

"Very well. Allow me to return to Asgard, and I'll make the arrangements." Turning on his heel, he left the ruined temple to the Jotuns. Another smirk caressing his features. That was all rather easy.

However, internal panic set in the closer he came to the Bifrost sight. He had just made Laufey a deal that involved the murder of Odin. His grin faded. Hadn't he just argued with himself that wasn't a good idea? Why was he all of a sudden listening to the voice awakened by the spear?

He knew better than to listen to that voice. That voice was nothing but trouble. And everyone knew what happened when he got himself into trouble. Nothing good.

His nerves became jittery, and he rolled his neck. Ran his tongue alone the inside of his lips. How was he going to get himself out of this one? This was why it was important to plan out everything in advance. Right now, he flew by the seat of his pants, and it wasn't going to end well if he wasn't careful.

After he stood on the burned runic circle on the ice, the Bifrost came down and whisked him away to Asgard.

Loki strode out of the portal. Masking his sudden uneasiness. However, he could feel the steely gaze as he walked toward the Rainbow Bridge. He stopped and glanced over his shoulder. "Does something trouble you, Gatekeeper?"

"I turned my Sight upon you in Jotunheim, but I could neither see nor hear you. You were shrouded from me much as the frost giants who invaded this Realm. Did you not heed my warning?"

"Perhaps your senses have weakened after many years of appreciated service."

"Or someone has finally found a way to hide from me what he doesn't wish me to see. Is there anything you wish to discuss while you have the chance?"

Loki momentarily closed his eyes to settle himself. The Guardian didn't scare him, but he couldn't help but be intensely paranoid in his presence. He turned around. His voice remaining even despite the anxiety running rampant in his mind. "You have great power, Heimdall. Tell me. Did Odin ever fear you?"

"No."

"And why is that?"

"Because he is my king, and I am sworn to obey him."

"Exactly." The acting king leaned forward, hoping his emphasis would allow Heimdall to understand what he wanted from him. "Just as you are sworn to obey me now. Yes?"

There was a beat of a pause. "Yes."

Loki's heartrate increased slightly because he wasn't sure what to make of the answer. "Good. Open the Bifrost to no one until I have undone what my brother has started. I will return to you with further instruction." Pivoting, he marched down the Rainbow Bridge. Feeling Heimdall's stare down his back.


	19. Chapter 19

**_*_** _Author's Note: Holy crap, it's been so long! I am so sorry! I can give you guys a whole list of excuses of why I haven't had time to write, but the major things my husband and I have had to deal with is a cracked foundation in our home and my parents. We helped them move, then some drama happened, and I honestly don't know how my relationship with my mom will turn out, so I'm sorry for any awkward story bits. But that's enough boring stuff from me. You guys are awesome for your patience! Happy reading!*_

* * *

 ** _Earth: Providence [Location Remains Undisclosed by Director Fury]_**

Aura sat in front of the mirror Agent Koeing had given her, housed in a beautiful frame of artificial gold. LT had been so excited in finding a gold mirror, she didn't have the heart to tell the Midgardian it wasn't real gold. She honestly had no idea gold could be fake, but she had spent so long around it in Asgard, she knew whatever was on the mirror wasn't real.

She also wasn't sure why Agent Koeing insisted on getting her a mirror. No one had made a big deal about her having one before. None of the serving class were allowed any mirrors, big or small. It kept them from becoming vain, as Odin put it. She had never seen a clear reflection of herself until the day LT brought this in and set it up in her room by the foot of her bed.

Her eyes lifted to the mirror. It was still so strange to be able to see herself. To see her face, her eyes, her hair, and the specialized jumpsuit she wore so her clothes wouldn't catch fire should she have an episode. She was embarrassed and curious all at the same time, and she wasn't sure which emotion was the correct one. Mostly because she didn't know how to evaluate herself.

Would she be considered fair? Considered ugly? Did people think she was pretty? Or did no one care to look at her? Was she supposed to consider herself pretty? Or was it more appropriate to think herself ugly?

These were all questions she never dealt with before. And not that they were bad questions. She just didn't know the answer to them.

However, she knew one thing. She wanted to look pretty now.

Aura watched her cheeks redden in the mirror, and she lowered her gaze with a giggle. She didn't know why she suddenly desired to look nice; she just wanted to do it. There were a few ideas she had of what would be considered pretty.

After Director Fury had left, Agent Koeing had asked her if she wanted anything. She said flowers. Unfortunately, she was told they weren't in a place that produced real flowers, so the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent went out of her way to give her fake flowers, which lay beside her on the bench in front of the mirror.

LT had called them silk flowers.

She picked one up and gently rubbed a petal between her thumb and forefinger. It certainly didn't feel like silk. She had felt Midgardian silk before, and while it wasn't nearly as fine as the Asgardian equivalent, it felt better than the flower. Were there different types of Midgardian silk? That would make sense.

Whatever the case, it didn't bother her. These silk flowers were just as beautiful as real ones, and she still couldn't believe Agent Koeing found some for her. Humming a classic Asgardian tune, she began weaving the plastic stems of the flowers into a crown.

Aura had moved to braiding her hair when a light knock sounded on her door. "You may come in."

LT entered and stood right inside the doorway, her reflection clearly visible in the rectangular mirror. She chuckled at the faux crown on the Asgardian's head. "So that's what you wanted flowers for?"

The partial elf's face reddened. "Do you think it's okay? I know servants aren't supposed to wear anything resembling royalty, but Queen Frigga used to make these for me and let me wear them for a short period of time."

The agent laughed some more. Despite the sadness in her eyes. "Of course it's okay. You're not a servant here. I know it doesn't seem like it, but you're free to do what you want."

Aura nodded and looked down at her hands she placed in her lap. "Do you think it's…vain?"

"No. It's not a crime to want to look nice. Why would you ask that? Is it because of the mirror? If it upsets you, I can have it removed."

"Oh, no, the mirror is fine. I'm honestly not sure what to make of it, yet, but it's okay. It's just on Asgard…well, you know."

LT moved to the bed and sat down on it. "I do know. But you're also not on Asgard anymore, and from my understanding, you haven't been on Asgard in quite some time. You're free here. You were given the chance to start a new life."

She played with the crimson ends of her hair. "I wasn't ready to start a new life here. I was so close to having a better life there."

The agent winced at the response. "Is this why you were so excited to see the picture of the hammer?"

"Yes. If Thor hasn't gotten to it or called it to him, it means he's in some kind of trouble. And whenever he's gotten himself into trouble, Loki's always been there to help him out."

She nodded in understanding. "So, you're thinking if Thor is here, then so is Loki?"

"Yes."

LT looked toward the door then shook her head. "Do you know where Thor is right now? If he's near his hammer, he's thousands of miles away from this base. Do you think they can find you here?"

Aura's gaze returned to her reflection. "Thor can't, but I know Loki can. Then we can finish building the life we were meant to have."

"Aura, I hate to sound mean, but have you considered that maybe it's time to move on from that part of your past?"

Her attention snapped to the Midgardian. "What? W-what do you mean?"

Koeing shrugged. "You cling so tightly to your past, it makes you miserable. I think it's what's causing your nightmares. Have you considered letting Asgard go?"

"I don't, I don't understand. Asgard is my home. Loki is my love. How can I let them go?"

"We have a saying here: if you love something, let it go. I don't think you're seeing the harm you're causing yourself by holding on so tightly. Maybe…maybe they let you go."

Aura's chin quivered, and she bit her bottom lip. "Perhaps." She rubbed at her eyes, trying her best to be brave. "I didn't mean much there. It would have been for the best."

LT ran her hands over her face and moved to stand behind the other woman. "I only mean that you need to stop putting so much faith in them to save you. Remember what I told you before? You have the ability to save yourself. And you can do it without using fire."

She nodded. "I'll try to remember."

The agent's lips formed a thin line. However, she soon offered a smile. "You said you wanted to look pretty, right?"

Aura's deep blue eyes lifted. "Is that okay?"

"Of course, silly. I can put your hair in a fancy up-do while keeping all your nice braids and flowers. Would you like that?"

She brightened. "I've never had my hair put up before. You can do that?"

"Honey, I grew up in a house full of boys. I had to learn how to do my own hair. We'll have you done in a flash. Tell me something, though. Why did you request to have your jumpsuit dark green? It kinda clashes with the orange and red you got going on in your hair."

The Asgardian's cheeks warmed once more. She played with her fingers. "Well, i-it's Loki's color."

Koeing rose a dark brow. "His color?"

"Yes. The color he typically wears. Queen Frigga's is teal and light blue, Thor's is red, and Loki's is emerald. It separates them as individuals."

"Okay, that makes more sense. I thought you just meant it was his favorite color." Then she grinned as she continued fixing Aura's hair, removing the bobby pins holding back her curls to use for the other. "Is he the reason you wanted to look nice?"

The half elf's gaze shot up, and her entire face reddened. "O-oh…oh, I don't know about that. I just, I only wanted, I don't know. I'm sorry."

LT released a hearty laugh. "You're quite alright. Even though you're as smitten as can be. You know that, right?"

"Oh, I don't know about that."

"Yes, you do. You've admitted to loving him before. It's no secret. What's your color? To separate yourself as an individual?"

Aura looked off to the side. "Well, my serving class wore mostly silver. We had sashes tied around our arms that were two shades of blue and rimmed in gold. It designated us to Queen Frigga's handmaidens. They were the ones who trained us. We didn't have individual colors."

The other woman gave a small nod. "I see. But, voila. You're done. You now have an individual hairstyle."

"That didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would."

"I'm a secret agent. I had to learn how to do everything in a rather timely manner. Now, go on. Look at yourself and tell me what you think."

Aura glanced at the agent in the mirror before studying her own reflection. Her tri-colored hair was swept behind her in a style reminiscent of the higher classes in Asgard. A few strands of shorter layers were left around her ears, naturally curling at the ends. The flowers woven into her braids.

Her head slightly tilted as a smile played with the corners of her mouth. She had never imagined what she would look like outside of her required servant attire. Even during all her time spent on Midgard, she hadn't considered changing her appearance with something as trivial as doing her hair differently.

However, she couldn't help but like it. She didn't know why, but she did, indeed, like it. "Am, am I pretty?"

LT leaned in so her head was next to the other woman's and squeezed her shoulders. "You are very pretty, madam."

Aura giggled. "I hope Loki thinks I'm pretty."

"Hun, what do I keep telling you? You don't need to put your hope in other people. You need to start putting your hope in yourself. Own the fact that you're gorgeous. I do."

Her tone dropped. "But I need that hope to stay alive."

Agent Koeing's brows furrowed in the mirror. "What do you mean?"

"I would rather die than lose hope someone is coming for me. I can't put my hope in myself, because if I try to free myself, it means I'll have to hurt people, and I can't do it. I can't hurt people. I've hurt enough since I've been banished here."

"Aura, that's not what I meant."

"LT, I hate it here." Her voice suddenly rasped with desperation. "I love Midgard, but I hate it. Ever since I've been here, I've been alone. I've been stuck in a time pattern that is agonizingly slow. I've been forced to watch people die. I've been forced to kill people. I have yet to meet a single person I can relate to on a personal level because I'm so scared of everyone in this Realm. Midgardians love to kill things they don't understand."

The agent assigned to Providence took a deep breath.

The Asgardian continued, tears streaming down her face. "I was unwillingly stripped from my home all because I chose love over ignorance. Being a servant had its downs, but I was happy there. I was given small allotments of food. I was given a simple bed to sleep in. Even though we weren't allowed to form close relationships, I was always around someone. Multiple people. Here…it's the same here, I suppose. Except I'm not happy."

LT blinked a few times. "You're not entirely alone here. You have me."

"I fear relying on you because with these nightmares and this other form I have no hope of controlling, I know I'm going to end up hurting you. Everything is so fragile here. Midgardians are so fragile. Loki is the only hope I have in seeing my home again. He's the only hope I have in escaping from this wretched place."

Koeing wrapped her arms around her and allowed her to cry on a shoulder. "Aura, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset. I just didn't want you to stay in this trap of seeking others' approvals to justify your own existence. I'm sure Loki will find you."

Aura choked back enough tears to speak. "I don't know anymore. It's been so long. He was the last thing I saw when I was cast out, but he has no idea where I am."

"Well, you've said he's powerful, right? I'm sure there's a way."

"He has magic, yes, but I don't know the extent of his powers. He was always surprising me with a new trick he had learned. I know I keep saying I can't lose hope, but I'm fighting just to keep it."

LT gave a nod. "And that's where your nightmares are coming from. You're wrestling with your reality, and they're manifesting themselves. You see your other form as your own personal demon, so that's why you've been subconsciously resorting to it."

She sniffed. "I guess." Then she buried her head into the other woman. "I just want to go home. I hate being stuck in this little facility. Asgard's palace is so huge, I had so many places to go. I miss Loki."

"I know, Hun. Why don't you tell me how you met? Maybe that will cheer you up."

"Okay." Aura straightened and wiped her tears away. "We were small children. Queen Frigga taught all the children in the palace. Including the servant children. I remember being so scared of everybody, I sat in the back of the room, protected by stacks of books."

"You like books?"

"Uh-huh."

"I can get you some books with wonderful stories in them. That might help you keep from being bored. Continue."

"After the first few days, I kept noticing this little boy was staring at me. I thought there was something wrong with me because he was staring so. Then he finally came over and sat down next to me. He said he hated sitting at the front of everybody and would rather sit with me and the books. I was too nice to say no, so I let him stay. He didn't say much. He just liked to sit and observe everyone else like I did."

LT grinned. "That's adorable. Then what happened?"

Aura released a small smile in turn. "He finally introduced himself to me. Just his name, though. He didn't want all the other children to know his title. He never seemed to care for it. It took me some time to understand who he was. But by that time, it was too late. Odin realized what Queen Frigga was doing, and he disbanded all the classes."

The agent frowned. "Why? What was the harm in teaching children?"

"It wasn't the fact of teaching children. It was the fact Queen Frigga taught the servant children along with the higher classes. He hated the idea of it, so he saw to the end of it."

"Well, that's a bunch of bull. But you and Loki kept in contact?"

The Asgardian nodded. "He brought me new books and would see me in secret. When we grew older, his visits became less frequent, but he always made time for me when he could. He started bringing me flowers from the royal gardens, small trinkets, and extra food. We were able to keep our relationship hidden for a while." Her head sunk into her shoulders. "But…"

LT grabbed the other woman's hand. "Someone found you out?"

"Yes. It was my fault. I forgot to take off a sash he had given me. I used it to tie up my hair at night. One of the other servants noticed it and reported it. It was emerald green."

"Loki's color."

Aura sighed. "Yes. Loki and I were taken before Odin. When confronted with it, Loki didn't deny it. He fought for us. And while he was fighting, I was dragged away. His face was the last thing I saw when I was tossed out." She hugged herself. "He was so sad. There was nothing we could do."

The agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. lifted her brows. "I don't know this Odin guy, but I would like to stick a few rounds in him myself. That's ridiculous to keep people apart simply because of social status. If Loki comes to Earth, I'll make sure to reunite you with him."

She looked up. "Really?"

LT smiled. "Of course."

Director Nick Fury cleared his throat.

Aura startled, shifting her gaze to his reflection in the mirror and holding her hands to her chest. How long had he been standing behind them? Although, she didn't think she revealed anything too sensitive about her beloved.

The other woman rose. "Do you wish to speak with her?"

Fury stared his agent down. "I do." Then he turned to Aura, holding out a picture. "Can you identify this man?"

Aura swiveled on the bench. Glancing at the dark-skinned man before taking the picture.

It was of a tall blond in blue jeans and a t-shirt.

She nodded. "That's Thor. Although, I'm not sure why he's not in his armor. He wears it religiously."

Fury procured the photograph and slid it inside his trench coat. "Right now, he's in a small town. He's harassed my men. Taking them out like flies. All without the use of his hammer. I need you to think, and I need you to think real hard. What can you tell me about him?"

Aura looked to LT then down at her hands as she played with her fingers some more. "He was born to Odin and Queen Frigga not too long before Loki. He's the oldest and has been training for battle since he could walk and hold objects, so he's a master fighter. The tales of his victories across the Nine Realms could keep anyone entertained for days on end. He likes to attack first and ask questions later."

The director crossed his arms. "I noticed. Does he have any diplomatic skills?"

"Not that I've seen. Loki is better at it than he. That's why they're usually found together. Thor smashes his way into a situation, and Loki talks them out of it. They're good brothers."

"So if we approach Thor in a peaceful manner, he'll immediately attack?"

"I'm not sure. Thor can be…moody. It's clear to anyone he's Odin's favorite, so he's allowed to get away with almost anything."

Fury sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Great. We're dealing with a spoiled, rich brat who can take out a small army of men without breaking a sweat. What's the best way to bring him down?"

The Asgardian's eyes lifted. "I don't know if you can. I've never heard of anyone doing it."

LT leaned against the tall dresser in the corner of Aura's room. "Was he nice to you and the other servants?"

She shrugged. "He didn't talk to us much unless he wanted something. I've never personally interacted with him. Not even when we were children. He doesn't particularly care for us, but he was never outright mean to us, either."

The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. spoke again. "And he has no weaknesses?"

Aura looked at him. "Not being able to use Mjolnir? But he sounds like he's been doing okay without it. He's never lost a battle."

"What about magic, powers? Does he have anything like that?"

"Only with his hammer. When he wields it, he can fly and control storms, mostly lightning. I've heard people say he's scary when he goes into full raging storm mode. Which happens quite frequently because he's quick to anger."

"Fan-flippin-tastic. Not only is he a royal pain, he's extremely volatile. This is going to bode well for my agents. Thank you, Aura. If you think of anything else, have Agent Koeing call me, got it?"

Aura nodded. "I understand."

Director Fury walked out, pausing in the metal doorway. "If this Loki does show up, I'll...let you know."


	20. Chapter 20

_*Author's Note: So, a few things I need to say. Firstly, this is my second attempt at chapter twenty, so if you thought you were crazy at thinking there was a previous version, you're not crazy. I realized five hours after I posted it (and right before I fell asleep) there was a HUGE, glaring inconsistency/plot hole that needed fixing. Also, I added another scene to this chapter that justifies the next chapter (which is the chapter that spurred this fic to begin with). Secondly, if you're reading this for the first time, I apologize for the amount of time it took me to upload again. Thirdly, I apologize for the several chapters I made exactly like the movie. I've been restructuring my life a lot this past year, and mimicking the movie allowed for more frequent content. Which is another reason why it took me so long to get this chapter out. It wasn't necessarily that the other content was bad, but it wasn't what I wanted. Now I've had a chance to reassess my story and hopefully get it back on track. Assuming I don't keep making obvious mistakes and have to take down chapters for revision. Which should be done before posting...the only thing I'm good at in life is making mistakes, so I'm not really surprised at myself. Anyhoo, thank you to everyone who's been patient and understanding and giving me tips along the way! I'm always open to constructive criticism. Thanks, again!*_

* * *

 _ **Earth: Providence [Location Remains Undisclosed by Director Fury]**_

Sixty three days passed since Thor eliminated the Destroyer and returned to Asgard.

Sixty three days passed since Aura had a chance to be rescued.

The Asgardian sat stiffly on a pile of ashes, cold air filtering through the vent above her. Her deep blue eyes stared at a smaller pile of ash by the door. It was all that remained of the silk flowers.

Ash was the only thing that remained in her room. Aside from the cracked glass of the mirror.

Aside from her cracked view of her life.

Frozen tears clung to her cheeks, even though she hadn't cried in days. Her fingers were blue, and she saw her breath every time she exhaled. The only sound was the frigid air moving through the vent. Her only friends the voices inside her head.

Director Fury relocated Agent Koeing several weeks ago. It had been for "everyone's best interest."

She didn't even get to say goodbye.

Aura exhaled through her mouth. She didn't want to cry. It hurt to cry. And she honestly didn't think she had any tears left to shed.

A team of five men in full body gear and large guns now monitored the base. None of them were polite. They constantly slandered her with words. All of them treated her as if she was nothing more than an asset. That was what they called her.

Asset.

She didn't quite understand what the word meant for her, but her routine returned to only being allowed out of her room for restroom breaks. They delivered food to her door. When she was let out, at least two of them escorted her at all times.

None of them bore individual markings. Their faces remained covered with black masks, and their uniforms matched all the way down to the stitching. They spoke through devices which made their voices sound the same. They could be machines for all she knew.

Director Fury hadn't shown his face since he asked about Thor and Mjolnir.

Aura's frame trembled with a myriad of suppressed emotions. She hadn't meant to hurt L—Agent Koeing. It was an accident. The night terrors became too real. She didn't know how to separate the dreams from reality; the two blended together. She didn't know what to do. She had been scared, desperate.

No one informed her if Agent Koeing survived the raging fire demon's wrath.

Something triggered an emotional response from her on that fateful day. She didn't even remember what it was. Didn't recall what set her repressed side off. She only remembered the warmth the ball of fire provided in the back of her mind and how much she wanted to take it.

She remembered how much she wanted to feel powerful again.

Agent Koeing's only crime was trying to calm her down. But she had also been in the way of an uncontrollable monster.

Aura startled as the bedroom door slammed open. It wasn't time for a bathroom break yet. She learned to count the seconds to make up the minutes of the hours of time passing by. It kept her brain occupied.

Two of the masked soldiers waited for her.

Swallowing, she silently rose, her body aching with every movement. Kept her eyes down. She didn't want to know what happened if she stared at them for too long. Didn't want to know what happened if she questioned their spontaneous arrival.

"Hurry it up, asset. We're taking you to the lab."

Her eyes lifted, and she paused. The lab? Why were they taking her to a lab? She didn't know this base had a lab. It made sense, but it honestly didn't occur to her one would be here.

She should've kept moving.

The pair grabbed her. One on each arm, they violently wrenched her from her room.

"Move it. We don't have all day. There's tests we're ordered to run."

Aura's feet refused cooperating. Why did she have to be tested? Was this for more experimentation? The last time it happened, it was with the Colonel, and it didn't end very well for her.

The soldiers dragged her limp body down various halls, deeper into the snow-covered mountain. Speaking as if she was too dumb to understand their words.

"What do you think these experiments will be for? How hot the asset can make fire?"

"No, that's too simple. From what I understood, I think they're going to reverse engineer her. Make a weapon from her like they're doing with that robot."

"Which one?"

"The one from New Mexico. The one Agent Coulson's team brought in."

"Interesting. Do you think they'll try making a new super soldier serum? One with her abilities? Do you know how easy wars could be won if we could turn all our soldiers into fire monsters?"

"Now that's a thought I can get behind. Only question is: would we become invulnerable? What good is having abilities if we still go down by a gunshot wound?"

Aura swallowed. She didn't want any of these things to happen. Make more of her fire demon side? Wars on Midgard wouldn't just be won, populations would be destroyed. Whole civilizations could become extinct. Why did the Midgardians view everything as a weapon? Were they this desperate to wipe themselves of the face of their own Realm?

"I heard they're going to use the asset as Earth's defense against the aliens. We are supposed to test a control serum. If it works, they can use her to destroy unwanted visitors, other nationalities or alien."

"In case that Thor character returns again?"

"I don't see why not. Depending on how powerful the asset is, she could be used to take out even bigger threats if need be."

Her heart pounded in her chest. She didn't mind being the servant girl on Asgard. She didn't mind being S.H.I.E.L.D.'s interrogation victim. But she would not become someone's puppet. They would provoke her until her other side emerged. They would use her for nefarious purposes. Then they would find a way to keep her in her demon form to be their plaything.

The soldiers already admitted to it.

Warmth flooded the back of her head once more.

She shook her head. If she gave in to violence now, she would most certainly die. These men and their large guns meant business.

But wasn't death a better option than this life? This life that left her as nothing more than a cold husk?

Everyone she cared about had been taken from her or forgotten about her. She still didn't know if Director Fury could be trusted. Thor returned to Asgard. Regardless, he didn't know of her existence. Queen Frigga was too busy with royal duties to worry about a servant. Loki….

Her breath caught in the back of her throat.

Loki wasn't coming for her. She long gave up on expecting for his rescue. Even if the return of the cold brought back her delusions. He didn't know where she was, this much she knew. She assumed he thought her dead. He wouldn't hold out hope for a mere slave girl such as herself.

It would be better if she turned against these masked men and allowed them to kill her. Then she couldn't be questioned. Couldn't be experimented on and made into an aggressive slave of whoever held the highest position. Couldn't be tortured for information on Loki or anyone else in Asgard.

A little flame flickered to life in the darkest regions of her mind.

 _Take it._

Her eyes fluttered as they entered a laboratory room filled with all kinds of scientific tools. She never feared death. She feared killing others, but she was not afraid to die. It was part of her birthright as slave to be killed at any time.

Valhalla always sounded nice. Although, the only way to enter was a warrior's death, and she had never been a warrior in her meager life.

The soldiers threw her into an observation room off the lab.

Aura tumbled onto the floor. She looked up at the panes of glass, her tri-colored hair falling around her shoulders. This was all too familiar. The equipment may be more advanced, and the location may be different, but all she could picture was the Colonel.

Her fists clenched on the cement. She couldn't allow this to happen. Not again. She needed to stop whatever these soldiers had planned. She needed to desire power once more.

"We need you alive for these tests, so try not to die on us. Got it, asset?"

Both of the men laughed.

She pushed herself to her feet, fully embracing the dancing flame. Her voice wavered, but she remained determined. "During my entire stay on Midgard, I've been treated like a weapon. I will not be used for evil gains any longer."

The pair looked at her then continued laughing. The soldier in the observation doorway stopped first. "What are you going to do about it? You're just a weak little girl."

An uncharacteristic grin overcame her. "I forgot I haven't shown you the other half of me yet."

His hand moved to the gun on his back. He was too late.

Aura's trembling fists encompassed with fire. A fire spreading across her pale skin. Her eyes swirled to pure darkness. Laughing, her ulterior form emerged with a fiery explosion. An ability she gained when she took out Agent Koeing.

The soldier in the doorway flew back, the glass in the observation room shattering. The other rose and called on his walkie as he frantically typed commands in a console.

Providence erupted into alarms, the lockdown sequence initiated.

She rushed out of the door. Not wanting to give them time to prepare a retaliation. The flames licked her entire being, creating a force field of rippling heat. A smile formed on her black lips. The tone of her voice changed. "Would you like to see what this weak little girl is truly capable of?"

The knocked down soldier rose to a shooting position, and the pair fired semi-automatic rifles.

The bullets pierced her aura of fire but not her crimson skin. They didn't bounce off, either. They stuck to her. Melted down her shoulders and chest, leaving trails of molten metal.

She glanced down. "I applaud you providing me with pretty adornments, but I'm afraid it's a lost cause. You will not have me." Ash floated off her charcoal hair that became ethereal. With a battle cry, she unleashed another explosion.

The pair slammed into the nearest walls. The shockwave of fire scattering.

"You will either kill me, or I will kill you, but you will not have me." Her arms lifted, and she produced streams of fire at each of them. Her upper lip curled. Heat steadily rising. Ignoring their screams, she baked them alive in their armor.

Two bodies dropped to the floor.

Her lips pursed. She would die a warrior's death, indeed. Confident strides carried her down a hallway flashing red with alarm lights. Semi-spaded tail swishing back and forth. "I know you can hear me, Heimdall. I want you to know you won't be hearing from me any longer, even though I begged to you like a coward all these years. I'm making my own way to Valhalla."

A third soldier rounded a corner. His weapon rapidly firing bullets.

Aura didn't break her pace. The bullets melting onto her skin as the others had.

He threw aside the rifle and revealed a .50 caliber handgun. Shot her in between the eyes.

Her head jerked back with a grunt, and her gait stopped. However, she pulled her head forward. Liquid metal streaking down the bridge of her nose onto the left side of her face. A broad smile spread. "Now that was interesting. Still not enough, I'm afraid."

He fired until he ran out of ammunition.

She took each bullet in stride. Laughing with every step.

The soldier brandished a combat knife. Stabbed.

Eyebrows lifting, she watched the weapon liquefy on her flesh as he pressed it down farther. "Is this really the best you can do?" Grabbing his helmet, she snapped his neck. Watched his body crumple. "Idiotic Midgardians."

Aura cocked a hip and continued on her quest toward the main entrance. Paused upon entering the expansive eating hall.

The fourth soldier knelt with a rocket launcher on the other side of the room. "If I have to bring this whole place down on you, I will."

"I'd like to see you try."

With a grunt, he squeezed the trigger. A plume of smoke billowed behind him.

The whole bunker shook with the blast. The boom's echo faded away. Lights flickering until they turned off and fire illuminated the mess hall. The smoke coiled, dissipated. Any tables and chairs caught in the wake were destroyed.

The fire demon stood in the middle of the impact zone. Black residue streaked across her. She rolled her neck. "Did you honestly believe launching an explosion at me, _me_ , would be effective?" She turned to the flames closest to her, stroking them as her hair became ethereal once again.

He dropped the empty rocket launcher.

"But I thank you for giving me something to play with." Sweeping both of her arms, she added to the existing fire and set the entire room ablaze, the flames consuming everything it touched. She strutted through the fire as it made a path for her.

The flames reached out to their master.

A wicked grin passed her face, and she coyly tucked a strand of floating hair in between an ebony horn and pointed ear. "If you want to impress me, you need to have something…" she looked him up and down, "bigger."

The soldier stayed on both knees.

She removed his helmet.

A man in his mid-twenties stared up at her, sweat rolling down his face. His mouth tight with resolution. "If you're going to kill me, grant me a death worthy for a soldier."

Aura placed a hand on her hip and bent forward. Her face inches from his. "Oh, I will. But would you like to tell me what the last of you has in store for me? Or is it going to be another surprise?"

"So you killed the other three of us?"

"Indeed, I did. Does this alarm you?"

"When we signed up for this job, none of us expected to make it out alive. We were all prepared to die by your hands."

"My reputation proceeds me? How fascinating." She ran a black nail up his jawline. "What would be a soldier's death to you? I burned the first two and snapped the neck of the third. Does one of those causes suit you, or did you have something else in mind?"

He swallowed. "Burn me alive. I want to feel pain before I die. I want to atone for my sins in a way being a soldier never could."

She searched him. "I can make that happen. Die in peace." Reaching out a hand, a strand of raging fire came to her. She merged it with some of her own and transferred it to the soldier. Observed the tears on his face as he fought every urge to scream.

Locking her jaw, she straightened. Walked through the flames toward the door. She stopped in the doorway and placed a hand on the frame. Glanced back over her shoulder.

The unmasked soldier audibly wept at the ceiling until he collapsed.

The fire demon's eyes flickered forward. She continued. Striding through the rest of the base with flame-covered fists.

She eventually faced the main entrance and stopped. Her head held high at the sudden obstacle.

"Aura, what have you done?"

Her confidence didn't fade. "So you arrive when your precious bunker is threatened? Did you Midgardians finally discover teleportation for you to get here so quickly?"

Nick Fury stood in front of the main doors with his hands behind his back. "I knew it was a mistake leaving you here, and I can assure you, I will not make it again."

"No. You won't. Because I will kill you, too. I've already murdered four of the five. Don't think you'll be the one to stop me."

"I was already on my way here to talk to you when I received the distress call. I've been working on a project, and I was going to see what your preference would be. However, I now know I'm putting you on that boat whether you agree or not because I'm not leaving you this far out of my reach."

She snarled. "I'm only tapping the surface of my true potential. You think your 'project' can contain me?"

"Oh, I know it will. I've secretly included a safe room for you that could freeze ten nuclear bombs and withstand the beating of a monster ten times your size. I didn't want to be forced to take such extreme measures, but I'm afraid you've left me no choice."

"I'd like to see you try and take me down first."

Fury didn't move. "I won't. But he will."

Her eyes slightly widened. Before she could turn around, two projectiles entered her back, and electricity coursed through her body. She fell as her she overcame to muscular seizures.

He held eye contact with her soulless orbs. "A defensive weapon I've been saving for a rainy day. One I honestly didn't know would work. Those are specialized tank piercing projectiles in your back, comprised of an experimental metal made with the help with the thing called Destroyer. An expensive metal, but its melting point is ridiculously high. You Asgardians are tough."

She glared at him through facial convulsions.

"I hated taking a page from the Colonel's findings, but electricity is the only known thing to knock you out." He gave a nod.

The last soldier standing nodded in turn.

Aura jerked and cried out as more voltage flowed into her. Her flames died. Her fire demon form desperately fighting the transformation. She finally relented, assuming her natural state. Her vision faded. The last thing she remembered seeing were Director Fury's black boots.

* * *

"How are you feeling?"

Aura groaned as she slowly sat up. "Not well." She looked around the small cabin. "Where are we?"

Fury sat back in his chair. "Another isolated hideout. You don't need to worry about the modified Taser. That was the only one I had. It was hard enough getting my hands on what little Destroyer material I could. And I'm the director of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Her head whipped to him, hands over her mouth. "I didn't mean to kill those men. I'm so—"

He held up a hand. "Don't apologize. I watched the security footage of the base. They tried scrubbing it, but they didn't expect me to arrive so quickly. You had every right to do what you did. I didn't authorize anyone to experiment on you."

She slowly nodded, but her eyes shone with unshed tears.

"I also didn't order them to keep you locked in your room. You were supposed to have free reign of the place. They were supposed to be nothing but body guards."

"What does this all mean?"

Fury exhaled through his nose. "It means they were following someone else's orders. Someone with a lot of power to hide from me like that. Did you know I'm the world's greatest spy? It's why they chose me for director."

Aura hugged herself. "So those men were evil?"

"So it seems."

"What happened to the last soldier?"

"He killed himself before I could get any information from him. Shame. I wanted the satisfaction of firing a bullet in him myself."

"What do we do now?"

Leaning forward, he propped himself up on his knees. "We're building a ship called the helicarrier. I'm putting you on it. There's a few ways we can go about this. I was thinking—"

"What about that cold room you mentioned?"

He paused. "That's a worst-case scenario chamber. Despite what you might think, we're not there yet."

Her eyes lifted. "Why can't I go there?"

"I'm offering you a chance at more freedom, and you're choosing worse isolation? Am I correct on this?"

"Every time I change, I discover more abilities." She played with her fingers in her lap. "Worse abilities. I have no control over myself."

"How can you make a decision when you haven't heard my offer? We can change your appearance, give you a new identity. Which would be easy since you don't already have one in the system. You could have a new life. Under my intense scrutiny, of course."

She shook her head. "I'm not taking that chance. I can't handle hurting anyone else, whether they deserve it or not. I don't think I age here, so someone will be bound to notice, and we can't trust anybody. Those soldiers proved that."

Fury sat back again. "You're right in that regard. Something bigger is at play, and I could potentially be looking at an organization infestation. But that's worst-case scenario, as well. I'm hoping they're an isolated cell. So what is it you want?"

"I…" Aura inhaled a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I want to go in the cold cell. I want you to be the only person who knows about me. I want to be restrained and blindfolded."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "There's a lot that could be said about your statement. But don't you think that's a heavy reaction to what happened?"

Her voice softened. "I don't think so. I was ready to die at the hands of those soldiers if it meant my fire powers couldn't be harnessed in any way." She hugged herself again. "I can't be used for evil gains. I won't allow it."

"Do you understand I haven't used you for any ill intentions? Nor plan on it?"

"Honestly, I didn't at first, but I have come to realize you're a good man. I also know you have to do what's best for protecting Midgard. Keeping me in the chamber is the best way."

His jaw set. "No."

"Please?" Her tone filled with desperation. "I can't live otherwise."

"Staying in that chamber is not a life. You know the cold drives you insane. I refuse to be the villain here."

Aura clasped her hands against her chest. "What if we tried it for a little while? If it's as cold as you say, maybe I can, maybe I can re-suppress my fire demon side. I don't know. And then maybe I can be fine."

"You're asking me to agree torturing you, essentially? I don't think so. I know a good man who might be able to help you. His situation is different, but he is a scientist. He could know of a few things."

"No. I'm begging you to let me try my way first. We could…we could only keep me in there for only a year."

"How about a month?"

"A year."

"Three months."

"I refuse to agree to anything less than six."

Fury released a long sigh. "I can't believe I'm going to say yes to this."

Rising off the couch, she took one of his hands. "I promise if my way doesn't work, I'll talk to the good scientist man."

He stood and stared at her for a long time. "I'm only doing this because it's what you want, and I'm afraid you'll do something drastic to yourself if I don't, but understand I don't agree with it at all."

She nodded. "I understand. This is my decision."

"Do you really want to be restrained and blindfolded?"

More nodding. "I think it'll help."

"I don't see how but okay. Let's get going."

Aura followed with due diligence. If she was honest with herself, her insistence terrified her. Her assertiveness startled her. She should've accepted Director Fury's denial and moved on. Yet, she knew she made the right decision. If she kept herself frozen and isolated, she could deal with her fire demon side. If she stifled it for good, no one would have reason to use her as a weapon.

She hated the cold. The thought of being trapped in it scared her, as well, but she needed to face her fears. It was the only thing she knew to do. Director Fury could give her a new identity all he wanted. However, she was an honest soul. She didn't think she could pretend to be someone else.

Her fingers found the pendant Mr. Stark gave her all those years ago. She was amazed it survived her transformations, but she passed it off as the magic because she survived them, too. Another thing that amazed her every time. Her normal form was so fragile and easily wounded. She filled her lungs with a deep breath.

Maybe it wasn't the best plan in the Nine Realms, but it was the best plan she could muster on short notice. Hopefully, this plan of hers wouldn't backfire.


	21. Chapter 21

_**2012**_

 _ **Helicarrier**_

 _ **Somewhere Over the Atlantic Ocean**_

It was dark. Pitch black dark. Her world had been for who knew how long. Time was nonexistent.

So was she.

A door behind her slid open, causing her slightly pointed ears to prick. She heard footsteps. Then nothing. Her arms tightened in the bonds holding specially cuffed hands in front of her. The blindfold kept her from seeing, but she knew who visited her.

He was one of the only ones who came. One of the only ones who visited her.

Loki didn't count because he was always with her, typically lingering in what she perceived as a corner until he approached with promises of salvation. Occasionally, a robot checked in on her. She didn't know why a robot appeared. Though, she wondered if it was actually fake.

Her tone rasped. The constant cold in the chamber was unlike anything she felt before. It stole her voice. And her soul. She hated the cold, and she couldn't remember why she was captive to it. "I've told you. You've exhausted my knowledge of Thor. What more can you want?"

"What do you mean? I haven't asked you about him since the incident in New Mexico."

She snapped her jaw shut.

The director of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s voice carried further into the round chamber. "Is there something new you'd like to tell me about Thor?"

"You've been in here so many times. I'm telling you I don't know what else I could tell you."

Footsteps disturbed the denser air clinging to the metal floor.

Aura felt Director Fury standing in front of her.

"I'm telling you I haven't been asking you about him." He inhaled a deep breath. "How long have you been hiding your hallucinations from me?"

She paused. The chains holding her to her bed clinking as she settled back. "Did I have food? I've been fed, haven't I?"

"Yes. Aura, I need you to not derail the conversation. You've been in here for a little more than two months. How long have you been hiding your hallucinations from me?"

Her head tilted in the direction she thought him in. "Did the robot bring me my food?"

"I have never sent a robot into this room."

"Your society isn't advanced enough yet, you know. Mr. Stark hasn't finished his arc reactor. I don't think Peggy would allow intelligent machines, anyway. I know she's not the boss, but she's the boss."

"Aura, what year do you think this is?"

"I-I don't know. I can't tell time in here. I forgot how to count seconds. My, my brain is so numb. You've broken my brain with all your questions."

"What have I asked you about?"

"I keep telling you. You ask about Thor, and there's no more information I can give."

Fury sat on the bed next to her. "How about I get you out of here, and we can talk about something different."

She nearly jumped off the mattress. "No. No, I need to be in here."

"Why?"

"I…I don't remember. W-what did you want to talk about?"

He sighed. "I'm sorry I can't spend the day evaluating your psychological condition, but I'm working with a time-sensitive situation. I'm getting you out as soon as this blows over. For now, I need you to tell me about Thor's brother."

"Thor doesn't have a brother."

"You and I both know he does."

Aura swallowed no saliva down her dry throat. Her voice a whisper as she curled up on the opposite side of the bed. "I don't want to talk about him."

"Has he been visiting you, too?"

She turned silent, looking away from the Loki in the corner.

"Has he been visiting you? I need to know."

"No."

"No, he hasn't visited, or no, you won't tell me?"

"No."

"I need more than that."

Her jaw clamped shut once more, and she shook her head. Hair grazing against her skin like razors. While her torso remained well-protected against the cold, her arms and legs lay barren against the element. She couldn't produce a spark of fire if she wanted.

And she had tried. Tried over and over again until the point of unconsciousness. Which was only an extension of conscious darkness. So then…was she ever unconscious? Did she even sleep? Was she awake now?

This was another vision, wasn't it?

"Aura, I need you to communicate with me. Need you to really listen to me. Loki is on the helicarrier. I spoke with him myself. I need to know how to stop him."

"You can't. He's too powerful."

"Yet, we've been able to capture him."

"Only because he wanted you to."

"That's the feeling I'm getting from him."

Aura continuously trembled. What wanted to be on the helicarrier? Was this another one of the robots? Did the robots capture Loki? That made no sense. Loki couldn't be captured by robots. He would simply melt them all with his magic. So he wasn't captured, was he?

This was a test, wasn't it? A test to see if she would betray the people she cared about. Then was this Director Fury was a robot? This whole time he had been the robot. It explained the nonstop questions. Why did he always have so many questions?

The director sighed. "I really need your cooperation. He's killed people. I need to know what to do with him, and you're the best lead I have. Our mythology tells us nothing about him. They can't even agree on his origin story, where he came from, or how old he is."

"My Loki doesn't kill people. You kill people."

"You've killed people, Aura."

Her chin quivered.

"Do you remember that? That's why you're in here. You begged me to keep you in here because you didn't want to kill any more people. You said you needed to control yourself. Tell me how to control Loki so I can keep him from killing more people, too."

Tear ducts frozen, she couldn't physically cry, but it didn't stop the rush of emotions. "I didn't want to. I…I didn't want to. I couldn't help it. But I did. I killed every single one of them. I'm so sorry. I keep apologizing, but you won't forgive me. How can I get you to forgive me?"

"I don't know why you think I haven't forgiven you, but you can start by telling me about Loki. We don't have a lot of time here."

"No, it won't work. I already tried that. I already told you everything. You shot me for my betrayal."

"What are you talking about?"

She doubled forward onto the bonds, dry weeping. Choking on the air. "I…I'm sorry. I'm dead. I've died. This isn't Valhalla. I wasn't a warrior."

Exasperated concern edged Fury's voice. "You have really gone off the rails. I knew this would happen, but I decided to go against my better judgement. Aura, I need you to repeat to me what you told me before. I promise I won't shoot you. I don't even have a gun on me."

"That's a lie. You always have a gun on you." Aura slowly straightened. Stared directly ahead, despite only seeing the black void. She honestly didn't care where the voice came from. "You're going to die."

"Why?"

"You brought him here, and you're going to die."

"He's been on Earth for three days, and he has not made a single attempt to rescue you. No one knows you're here but me. You are my secret so no one can use you as a weapon. That's what you wanted, remember?"

Her volume rose. "But you wanted them to experiment on me! I was going to be your mind controlled weapon to kill the aliens! I was going to be your evil slave!"

"Aura, I never authorized experiments on you. I promised you I wouldn't do that, and I gave no such order. I am many things, but I do keep my word."

"Why do you think I killed the soldiers, hmm? Do you honestly think I would attack them like that unprovoked? Noooo."

"Those soldiers didn't act under my orders. I honestly can't tell how broken you are."

"Exactly."

"We're wasting precious time. You need to tell me everything you know about Loki, and you need to tell me now. I need to get a handle on the situation he's caused."

"No. I already told you. I'm not repeating myself."

"That's all you've done since I came in here."

She walked on her knees until she fell off the bed. Her knees now on the floor and her arms suspended above her. From behind the blindfold, she drilled corner Loki. "You listen to me, you robot. I will not tolerate this anymore. I'm done. No more hallucinations. Leave me alone."

"This isn't a hallucination. You're delusional, and you think this is a hallucination. Get back on the bed before you hurt yourself."

Aura didn't move. "If this is real, how come that's the exact thing you've said to me all the other times you've spoken with me? If this is real, why are you making the same promises you can't fulfill?"

"What promises have I made? You said I've only asked about Thor. I'm asking you about Loki. You need to answer me right now."

"No," she screeched. Then she coughed, head falling to the side.

"Why do you continue protecting him when you've alluded he's been visiting you. If he's visited you, why hasn't he rescued you yet?"

"He has rescued me. He's rescued me, and he's right there right now to prove it."

There was a pause. Then a relieved exhale. "Aura, he's not there. Did you know he found a new interest? Her name is world domination. You need to let him go."

"You need to let him go."

"He doesn't love you, Aura. Give him up to me. Because even when he's right there, you're still here. You're not rescued. Give up his illusions."

Her voice returned to a whisper. "He loves illusions."

"See? He's been tricking you all this time. Tell me what I need to know."

She broke into non-tearing sobs again. "All this time…go away. Go away, you, you robot. Leave me alone. I don't want to see you anymore."

An explosion rocked the helicarrier.

"Mother—look, I need to take care of this. You're safe in this room, but I'll be back as soon as I can to get you out." Hurried footsteps ran out of the room.

The door closed with a hiss, but Aura didn't pay it heed. She barely sat on the floor, dangled by her short chain. She wasn't aware of this, either. The only thing she paid attention was the gnawing pit in her stomach, the flameless void in her mind. The hollowness of her heart.

Loki had been there. Just as he always had been since she plunged herself in darkness. With his short, slicked back hair and quirky little smile. He was there. Even now, he beckoned for her to join him in the corner, but she couldn't move. "Aura..."

"Stay away from me," she screamed. "Leave me alone. I don't want to see you anymore."

"I've been searching everywhere for you. I'm not leaving you."

"No, you haven't. You never searched for me. You…you…" Another coughing fit overcame her.

The blindfold lifted off her face. But this was not new. This happened every single time, and her heart couldn't take it anymore. It was still dark. Loki hadn't moved; he still stood in the far corner. He never left. Why didn't he leave? Why couldn't he leave her alone?

"What have they done to you?"

"Everything I told you before. Get away. You and Director Fury and, and the robots are fake. You're all fake. I'm dead, and this is my punishment for not dying a warrior's death. I'm not in Valhalla."

"No, you're not in Valhalla. You—"

"Ha! See? You always say that. You always tell me I'm not in Valhalla. I know I'm not. I don't know where I am, but I'm not alive. You're an illusion. You've always been an illusion. That's all you care about. None of this is real. You're not real."

His voice cracked. "I am real. I'm right here."

The cuffs were removed from around her wrists. Another thing he always did to "prove his existence." She knew this was another hallucination. Her arms remained above her. Besides, if he was real, she would've heard the door open, and it hadn't.

"Aura, please, look at me. I-I'm right here."

"No. Get away from me. Stop torturing me. Leave me alone. Why can't you just leave me alone?"

A hand found its way to her cheek, but she knew not to trust it after the first eight hundred times it happened. Not that she had ever felt it on her exposed skin, but the fact she felt the pins of pain now proved it to be fake. It was all fake. Even the darkness was fake.

"Aura, I am real." More cracking of the voice. "Please believe me. You were taken from me, but I've found you. I found you, and you don't believe I'm real. I'm right here. I am right here."

"That's the only thing you ever say! You are not. You are not real. I know you're not. Leave me alone. Please let me have peace. I can't be tortured any longer. Take my soul already and leave me alone."

Two hands grabbed either side of her face, and something pressed against her lips.

Aura's body slowly relaxed as a tingling sensation moved across her head. Her arms fell to her sides. Then her eyes snapped wide. Her arms moved. They never moved before…

He knelt in front of her instead of standing in the corner. His appearance had changed, and tears flooded his face, which was barely inches away from hers. It was his lips that were pressed against hers. He stopped and opened his eyes.

"Loki?" she breathed.

"Yes, my love, yes. It's me." He rested his forehead on hers. "I'm here. I'm real."

"How do I know it's you?"

"This isn't where I wanted to kiss you for the first time, but I couldn't think of anything else to do to prove my validity. Have any of my illusions kissed you?"

"No." Aura swallowed, her brows knitting.

Loki gently smiled. Caressed her face with a thumb as tears continued streaking his cheeks. "My Aura. I've found you. It took me too long, but I'm here. I'm here to rescue you."

"No." She suddenly pulled back. "No, you're not. Something isn't right." Her glazed stare searched him. "Something's wrong. You're eyes are blue, not green. Why aren't they green?"

He exhaled through his nose and looked down. "A lot of things have happened since we last saw each other. I—"

"Get away." Breaking free from his hold, she weakly scrambled back onto the bed. Volume rising again. "Get back. Leave me alone. You're not here to rescue me at all. Go away."

His eyes momentarily closed. He stood. "Aura, you need to believe me. I don't know what to do with the pain you're causing me. How can I make you believe me?"

She looked at him then the corner. The usual Loki stood there still. He grinned. Her eyes flitted back to the one in front of her. Two Lokis? This was new. There had never been two Lokis before. This proved the robots were real, then. This was a new form of trickery.

A new form of torture.

Her chest rose and fell irregularly and shallowly. She figured it out. She knew where she was. Yes, she had died. And she was in Hel. Even the Midgardians described it as a place of eternal nightmares.

That's what this was. This whole time, she had been in an eternal nightmare, and it was because she resided in Hel. She didn't die a warrior, after all. She killed those people for nothing. She faced her fears for nothing. Nothing mattered.

The Loki in front of her glanced over his shoulder. His brows furrowed when he returned his attention to her, tone dejected. "What have they done to you? What's wrong?"

Aura thrust an accusing finger at him. She couldn't keep it up for long, and it quickly dropped. "You're wrong. You're always wrong. I know your game. You're here to make me tell you how to stop him. I won't tell. You're all going to die. You can't stop him."

He studied the floor then lifted to view her once more. "You have stopped me. I don't know how to handle this situation. I expected…I didn't know what to expect. But this? Please. Let me help you out of here." He held out a hand.

She shrieked at him, tumbling off the other side of the bed. Groaned. Every movement sent thick needles into her muscles. Her eyes closed as waves of pain washed over her. Grimaced. "N-no…" She slowly curled up into a ball. "No."

"You know I hate using my magic on you, but you're leaving me no choice."

Her eyes opened. Body shuddering. She couldn't maintain her warning demeanor. All her energy drained into the icy floor. Evaporated into the bitter air. She could barely breathe. "No. Go, go away. I don't," she inhaled a sharp breath, "I don't want you anymore."

Loki flinched. "I'm not leaving you in such a state. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me." Stepping around the bed, he waved a hand.

Aura watched a stream of green magic float toward her. She swallowed. It couldn't reach her. She couldn't allow it to reach her. It would only transport into another nightmare. Why couldn't her soul die already? Did souls die? How could she kill her soul?

She reached out an arm. Clawed at the smooth floor. But she didn't move. She didn't have the strength to pull herself anymore. Not that it mattered. The magic enveloped her, swallowed her whole.

Then she fell unconscious.


	22. Chapter 22

Aura's eyes slowly opened. Her vision nothing more than a blur. Yet, she swore she saw…vibrant color? What happened to her? What happened to the black and white images with the subdued color? She didn't have the mental capacity for further wondering. Her eyes closed, and she inhaled a deep breath. Waiting for the sharp cold to pierce her lungs.

Warm air filled her chest instead.

She snuggled closer into herself. She loved the warmth. It relaxed her, made her feel at ease.

No. Something was off.

Wasn't there supposed to be cold? Why wasn't she frozen? Where was the cold chamber?

Eyes widening, she focused her vision on the space in front of her.

Loki sat a few feet across from her, elbows propped on his knees with praying hands held parallel to his face. His gaze trained on her.

She startled. Rolling off whatever held her elevated and onto a metal floor she wasn't familiar with. Crawled over to the nearest corner and drew her knees up to her chin. "What do you want with me? Where am I?"

He ran his hands over his face then slowly rose. "Aura, please take it easy. Your body temperature has just returned to normal, and you're weak. I don't understand why you were in a cold cell, but you need to remain calm."

"Stay away from me." Frantically looking around the tube-shaped spaced, she hugged her legs tighter, burying herself as far into the corner as she could. Where was she? How did she get here? Why did this strange place exist?

Then she remembered. Her eyes fluttered as her breath caught. She remembered the illusions, remembered the magic. The magic transporting her into another nightmare.

This was another aspect of Hel, wasn't it?

Her head snapped up when this Loki stepped toward her. Tears pooled in her eyes until they spilled down her face. "I-I said stay back! Don't come any closer. Leave me alone."

"Okay, okay, I'll listen. You obviously need space." He returned to a row of seats mounted to the wall. Placed his head in his hands.

Aura peeked through her arms she used to shield her face from him. He didn't look at her; she couldn't see his face. But her chest rose and fell rapidly. Where was the Loki she normally saw, the one who lingered along the outskirts? Why did this second one take over? Why had his appearance changed? She had never seen this Loki before, so she didn't understand why she saw him now.

The robots evolved, didn't they? She started fighting against the previous Loki, so they provided a new model. Did they think she would give in to a different form? Is that why this one didn't bombard her with questions? Is that why this one truly seemed to care for her wellbeing? This was a new tactic, wasn't it?

Loki sat up, running his hands down his thighs with an exhale. "Do you know who I am?"

"Yes." She hid her face behind her arms. "Please go away."

"Who am I?"

"Leave me alone."

"Aura, what's my name?"

"Why do you numb my brain with all your questions? I've already told you everything I can. I don't know what more you want from me."

He sighed. "Okay." Several moments of silence. "May I tell you something?"

"Nothing you say will change my mind about what you are and why you're hurting me."

"None of this changes my love for you."

She looked up with a tear-stained face to see him crying, as well. Her heart wrenched at the sight of him. She hated seeing him cry. But this is what they wanted, wasn't it? They wanted her to emphasize with this Loki. That's why he was different. They pandered to the soft spots of her heart.

The heels of her palms went to her eyes, and she shook her head. "No. Stop. I can't take it. I won't fall for it. You need to go away. I'll make you go away."

"Would you honestly rather be trapped in a frozen chamber aboard that vessel?"

"Yes, I deserve it. I deserve to be in my cold room. The cold keeps me from hurting people. I can't hurt people in here. This is where I belong."

"You don't deserve to be in freezing temperatures. Why were you there to begin with?"

"I…I killed people." She hit her forehead multiple times with clenched fingers. "I'm a monster. I'm a monster. I deserve to be here."

"Aura, Aura, please stop." Loki moved forward and knelt beside her. "Please don't hurt yourself. You're not a monster."

Screaming at him, she clambered to her feet, summoning her alternate form out of pure fear.

He backed away. Held up his hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't give you space." He relaxed his stature, trying to appear nonthreatening. Studied the fire demon in front of him. "That's my fault. But this confirms a few theories I had about you."

Aura partially slid down the curved wall, but she caught herself. She didn't realize how much energy her transformations consumed. Unless this was another side effect of Hel. Regardless, her black eyes burned. "Leave me alone. I don't want you anymore."

His eyes closed. He rubbed them with a hand. Released a long exhale. "I honestly don't know what to do here. I thought, well, I thought kissing you would make you realize—" He cut himself off, his tone and expression crestfallen. "Please tell me what to do."

"You can go away. Leave. Let me die in peace." Bracing herself against the dark paneling, she held out a hand encompassed by flames. "I don't want you anymore."

He rose a hand in a placating gesture once more. "Aura, we're in an aircraft. I need you to understand this. If you damage the hull, people could get hurt."

"I know I'm in an aircraft. I'm in my room on the helicarrier. It's more than spacious enough for me to destroy you. Once and for all."

"We're not on the helicarrier." His eyes slightly widened when her fire grew. Without a second thought, he effortlessly shifted into his frost giant form. Approached her with a hand covered in ice. Wrapped his fingers around hers.

Their opposing elements canceled each other out with a hiss of steam.

Her black lip curled in disdain. She couldn't produce another flame as much as she tried. Nor could she continue holding herself up. With labored breaths, she sunk to the floor.

Loki supported her. Eased himself down with her. "I'm here. I've got you. You'll be okay."

Aura grimaced and pressed her head against the wall. Searched his blue skin and crimson eyes out of the corner of her own. "You've never appeared this way before. What new trickery is this?"

"You weren't the only one with hidden heritage. My father is Laufey, king of Jotunheim. I am a frost giant."

"What a perfect way for you to meet the demon. Your illusions will fool me no longer." Snarling, she seized his throat with an ignited hand.

His jaw set, and he held eye contact with her. Kept his breathing steady as he prepared enduring any heat she thrust upon him.

Her twisted expression of glee soon faded into confusion. She released his neck. "You should be susceptible to the heat. You should be charred, dead. Why do you taunt me this way? Why do you remain untouched by my fire?"

He kissed her palm and held her flaming hand to his cheek. Lifting his gaze to meet hers once more. "Perhaps it's because you won't allow yourself to hurt me, illusion or not."

She trembled. "No. No, this isn't right. I have the power here. I'm the one with confidence. I'm the strong one. I am in control. I control my fire."

"We can never truly control magic, love. We can only guide it."

"No…none of this is right. This proves this is another hallucination. I can murder who I want at will. I—"

"Aura, look me in the eyes and tell me you want to kill me."

Her gaze hardened when she looked at him, but her mouth remained closed. She blinked a few times. Jaw clenching and unclenching.

Loki brushed a few strands of charcoal hair away from her face. His voice quieted. "Are you going to tell me?"

"I…" Aura turned away from him, removing her hand from his face. "You're not even real, so why should I bother wasting my words on you?"

"Do you remember when we were at the palace, and I would practice my illusion spells on you? Outside of Frigga, you challenged my abilities the most. I never once fooled you. You knew the real me from an illusion without fail. Can't you tell I'm not an illusion?"

"We're no longer in the palace, and I no longer care about such trivial times. All I care about is figuring out how to kill my soul." Standing without his help, she moved to a row of seats opposite the ones he previously occupied. Her back faced him. Half-spaded tail twitching.

He closed his eyes and remained on the small carrier's floor. His pale skin and blue eyes returning. "I can't help you if you won't let me in."

"You really are stupid, aren't you? You're already in my head. I want you out, and I want you out now. I'm too exhausted to keep dealing with you."

Minutes of agonizing silence dragged by.

Aura glanced over her shoulder. This Loki still hadn't moved. Head returning forward, her posture straightened. Pathetic. That's the only word she could describe their current attempt at Loki. This Loki was pathetic, and she would no longer be fooled by him.

"Aura—"

"Don't waste your breath. Not that you have any to begin with."

More muteness.

"Aura, you don't have to listen to me. You don't have to believe me, but I'm going to speak to you."

"And I will continue believing that if I ignore you, you'll eventually disappear."

"Not so long ago, beings tortured me, as well."

Her gaze traveled over her shoulder once more.

"There's a titan in the universe. One who seeks to appease death by destroying all he comes across. When I fell off of Asgard, I fell into his lap. He's tortured me since I've been with him because, frankly, I'm a threat to him. At first, minions did his bidding, but I resisted them with ease."

Aura wrapped a strand of hair around her finger, biting her bottom lip. There were times when Loki trained using various torture methods. He wanted to build a tolerance, he said. It scared her every time. Her nostrils flared, and she straightened once more. Those times didn't matter. They wanted her empathy to break her. It was a good thing this side of her felt none of those sentimental emotions.

Loki continued. "The titan decided to break me himself. Something he has yet to accomplish. He managed influencing me with a stone that controls the mind. I'm not fully under his command, but the stone managed pulling at feelings I've long desired indulging. I won't lie to you. I've enjoyed it. But look how quickly it all fell apart."

His voice fractured. "When I found you…I never felt so much joy in my life. But your response to me, it's the worst form of torture I've endured yet. Worse than when Odin initially banished you. I have solutions for every problem I've faced. Except this one. I'm at a complete loss. My heart is shattered. I haven't the slightest inclination how to repair it, repair you."

She swallowed. Rolled her neck. Her weaker form threatened taking hold. She couldn't let it. She needed to remain in control. They probed at her weaknesses. They wanted her to show emotion. If she wasn't careful, this was how they would break her. With the weakness that had once been her love.

A man in protective gear entered the hold of the light carrier. "Sir, we've arrived."

Loki must've knew the pilot was coming, for he had risen and masked any possibility of vulnerability. "Very well."

The controlled agent eyed the fire demon then retreated back into the cockpit.

He followed suit. His words loud and clear. "Keep the jet at a safe distance. If anything happens to her, I will not hesitate to rip out your hearts and feed them back to you."

Aura quickly looked away when this Loki faced her. As much as his threat appeased her demonic cravings, she couldn't give in. As much as she longed giving in, a stubbornness inside her kept her fighting. She was tired of fighting. So tired. Yet, a part of her wouldn't allow it. The part of herself she hated. And, as much as she hated herself, she was the only person she could trust.

* * *

Loki stared at Aura as the jet prepared for landing. He wanted nothing more than to reach out to her. Wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms. How long had he waited for their reunion? How long had he waited to feel his beloved's embrace?

None of it seemed to matter anymore.

She claimed he wasn't real, yet, here he was. He had rescued her from the clutch of the mortals, but she refused accepting it. Refused accepting him. Repetitively told him she didn't want him.

His eyes closed. His heart ripping apart more than it already had.

He tried reasoning with her. Showed her his true form. Attempted bearing his soul to her. He hated allowing her to see him cry, but even that didn't have an effect on her. Not to mention he kissed her.

A moment he dreamed of since they were young. He knew she didn't take physical affection lightly. After years of thought, he comprised of a plan escorting her to the royal gardens and situating her under the largest flowering tree. They would spend some time there. They would laugh and eat. He would let her braid flowers into his hair. When the moment came, he would kiss her. A proposal of marriage may or may not be involved.

When he kissed her in the cold chamber, it was out of desperation. He was desperate to prove his existence to her. It was the only thing he could think of. He thought it had worked. The way she said breathlessly said his name made him think he won over whatever plagued her mind. How foolish he had been, assuming a mere kiss could cure her psychological ailments.

The Aura he once held dear was broken. So broken. And now, so was he.

However, his earlier statement wasn't false. His love for her hadn't changed. Even if this was the first instance in which he truly felt utterly powerless. Granted, he could use his magic and read into her mind. He could force her to accept the truth, but it could potentially cause problems later on.

He didn't want to rely on his magic with her. He already hated himself for using it to knock her unconscious. But what else was he to do? A plan had been set in motion, and they needed to get out of there. He wasn't leaving her behind to be at the mercy of the mortals. There wasn't a guarantee they would fix their aircraft.

Loki watched the carrier door descend into its ramp. Glanced back at the fire demon.

She was oblivious to the flood of light, to the rush of fresh air. She remained still and caught within her own mind.

His chest expanded with a deep breath. He long wondered if her fire derived itself from her lineage. He had been right. But he couldn't relish in it. Couldn't even grin at himself for knowing the truth all along.

How could he? Despite her status as a servant, she used to be full of life, full of love. Now, now she spoke only of death, solitude, and the killing of her soul. What had they done to her? Were the mortals really this capable?

Aura was his world, and his world crumbled through his fingers like the ruins of his own soul.

What was he to do? She wouldn't allow him near her. Wouldn't listen to his words. Wouldn't look at him or even call him by name. He had never imagined this as a potential scenario, and quite frankly, he didn't know how to deal with it. He honestly didn't know if he could process the immense grief.

It was, indeed, worse than any form of torture Thanos provided. Thanos…

No. There was a way of dealing with it all.

It may not help him with Aura's predicament, but it would help him process. Help him release the pent-up aggression he harbored since the time of her banishment.

His entire demeanor changed. He summoned a scepter from his pocket dimension. The original plan was simply launching a large enough invasion that would prove threatening to the mortals and bring together their defenses against an enemy much bigger than they imagined. The original plan was allowing them to defeat him and have Thor take him back to Asgard as prisoner.

No longer.

The Midgardians constantly talked about power. He would show them his true power. He would show them why he wasn't a foe to be taken lightly. He would show them why they shouldn't mess with his beloved.

Once he had his fun with the mortals, Asgard and Odin would be next. If that meant incapacitating Thor along the way, then so be it.

Loki looked back at Aura one last time. She rejected acknowledging him. His grip tightened on the weapon in his hands. The gem within brightened, feeding off his growing anger. Anger he didn't direct toward her. None of this was her fault. She could be so hard on herself, he only hoped she realized this wasn't her fault.

Green magic swirled around him. His full battle regalia adorned him. Helmet and cape included. Whatever he chose to do would be for her. Everything he did, he did for her. Her current state would not change that.

Determined strides carried him off the jet and onto the building brandishing Stark's name. The man's mentality didn't differ too far from his own; he would be the first to catch on to pomp and circumstance.

He approached the mortal scientist named Selvig, who finished setting up the tesseract's machine.

Selvig faced him. "The portal is nearly ready."

"Make it bigger."

"I…make it bigger? But the plan—"

Loki grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him close. "I will no longer tolerate a controlled invasion. I want them all to come through, do you understand? This is the plan." He took a deep breath and soothed his hostile tone. "Why see only a sliver of the universe when you can gaze upon the entirety of it? That is what you wanted, wasn't it? To see the universe?"

Selvig nodded, his enthusiasm renewed. "I'll make the portal bigger." When he was released, hurried over to the CMS device for more tinkering.

Lust for revenge swirled within Loki's eyes as he gazed upon the city that would soon become his play thing. He walked to the edge of the tower. His trademark smirk emerging when he caught the glimmer of Stark's suit flying toward him. "Mark my words, Aura. They will pay for what they've done to you."


	23. Chapter 23

Tony Stark approached the balcony at incredible speed. He stopped before the CMS device and raised a hand. Aimed a repulsor blast at the whirring machine.

The tesseract barricaded itself with a shield of pure energy, the blast erupting into a crackling dissipation of light and sound.

Loki smiled as he heard mortals already shouting in the streets below. And so the chaos began. He watched Stark land on an upper platform of the tower bearing his name. Watched the man walk through a gauntlet of machinery which removed his armor.

A bold choice for someone who would soon face death.

Even from this distance, he could see the subtle fear in the mortal's eyes. Not a single one of them knew what they were up against. And he didn't mean the army waiting for a portal. He didn't mean the titan lurking in his ship. He, of course, referred to himself.

It was true the Chitauri would deal the most damage. It was true the titan held quite a bit of supremacy in the universe. He wouldn't deny these truths. But it was he who decided releasing the brunt of his army all at once. It was he who held the staff of control here.

In a normal situation, he would at least remove his helmet when peacefully meeting with a member of the opposing forces. In a normal situation, a full display of arms and armor in a diplomatic setting was seen as a faux pas. But this was not a normal situation.

This was war.

His smirk remained intact as he entered the penthouse, adorned in all of his golden armor. He was not here to broker peace. He was not here for prattling. He was here for vengeance. A brutally satisfying vengeance.

The stone within the tip of the scepter glowed.

Tony walked down a flight of steps behind the bar. His gaze lingered on the unwanted guest, yet he appeared confident with himself.

Loki's eyes shone with the mayhem he planned. "I honestly wouldn't bother appealing to my humanity."

"Is human what you call yourself? Firstly, you're not human; you're a monster. Secondly, I'm here to threaten you."

He chuckled to himself. This mortal amused him more than he cared to admit. "You should've left your armor on for that."

"Well, you know. Mileage. Not to mention you got that blue stick of destiny thing. Want a drink?"

"Stalling me won't change my plans."

Tony grabbed a glass and poured a shot. "Stalling? No, I'm not stalling. I'm threatening. Are you sure you don't want a drink?"

"What do I have to fear from you?"

"The Avengers. It's what we call ourselves. We're sort of like a team." He smiled behind the glass. "Earth's Mightiest Heroes type of thing. You know?"

Loki gave an acknowledging nod. He would bite at this man's banter because he enjoyed it. It was almost as if he practiced sarcastic remarks in a mirror. "Yes, I met them. In fact, I'm the one responsible for your assembling. But I will also be responsible for its destruction."

Tony's head tilted as his lips pursed. Counted off on his fingers. "Let's see. We're a demi-god, a super soldier, a living legend who kinda lives up to the legend, a man with amazing anger management issues, a couple master assassins. You're going to destroy them? You managed to piss off every single one of them."

"That was the original plan."

"Great plan, I must say. When they come, and they will come, by the way, they will be coming for you."

"I have an army."

"We have a hulk."

Loki's gaze flickered to Stark's hands. No doubt the bracelets he tried discreetly clamping on was for more armor. He would allow it. When he defeated them, he wanted to defeat them at their best. It was the only way they would learn of his true power. He paced a short line. Anything to make Stark more wary of him. "Speaking of your beast, where is he? He's proven prey to the scepter before. I think I'd like to see just how far he'll go."

Tony blinked and crossed his arms. "You're missing the point here. There's no outcome of this where you win. There's no throne for you. Let's say your army comes. Let's say they're too much for us. But it's all on you. Because, if we can't protect the earth, we'll sure as hell avenge it."

He lowered his eyes to the gem within his weapon. Allowed a short laugh. His gaze lifted. "When I'm done, there won't be anything left for you to avenge. You see, I've already claimed this Realm for revenge. And vengeance will be _mine_."

His arms dropped. A moment of confusion glimmered in his expression. "What?"

In one fluid motion, he crossed the room and seized the mortal by the throat. Tossed him across the penthouse.

Tony tumbled to a stop. Looked up. "I kinda liked that. Squeeze harder next time, won't you?"

Loki grinned as he lifted Stark by his throat again. "In another world, we could be great allies. Sadly, you drew the short stick in this one. This is the reality where I win and the entire Realm falls before me." Exerting little effort, he threw the mortal out the window.

A ding sounded behind him.

Glancing over his shoulder, he sidestepped. Knowing the red pod flying past him held a suit. How close would Stark get to the ground before the armor caught up to him? He returned outside and looked down.

The pod transformed and latched on to its creator.

Tony redirected his path with a quick pulse of his thrusters and hovered in front of his still-unwanted guest. "And there's another person you pissed off. His name was Phil." He fired a singular blast from both of his hands.

Loki remained motionless. A field of green magic deflected the energy. His brows rose. Pleased with Stark's frozen position. "The army is the least of your concerns, believe me."

Selvig released an exuberant exclamation.

A beam of blue energy burst into the sky with the violence of the Bifrost. It swirled into a vortex. The vortex lurched and tore through the atmosphere, opening a portal. A portal nearly a mile wide.

"Yes!" Selvig shouted, falling to his knees and raising hands upward. "Yes. I can see the universe."

Flying chariots piloted by armed Chitauri spilled out. By the hundreds of thousands, they darkened the sky with the ever-growing swarm. The relatively still air filled with war cries mixed with screams of the humans on the ground.

Tony immediately engaged the invasion.

Loki's eyes widened with delight. A large grin spreading across his face. He surveyed the beginning destruction, grip tightening on the scepter. The Midgardians would learn not to mess with the one he held most dear. They would learn, indeed.

"Brother!"

He turned in time to see Thor landing on the balcony to his right.

The god of thunder thrust Mjolnir toward the machine. "Loki, shut off the tesseract, or I will be forced to destroy it."

"You can't destroy it, can't stop it. It's self-sustaining. This war is the only way."

"As you say: so be it." With a curled lip, Thor rushed forward. Swung his hammer.

Loki met the weapon with his own.

The resulting clang melted into a cacophony of background explosions. The Quinn jet entered the city.

Thor pulled back. Struck again.

Loki dodged. Held the scepter behind his back, continuously sliding out of the way of furious blows. It was good to know Thor's fighting style hadn't changed—swing wildly and angrily enough until the hammer makes contact with something.

He smirked at the blonde's growing frustration. Evaded a few more strikes. However, this only wasted precious time. As he curled around Thor, he placed a hand on his back. Discharged a ball of offensive magic.

Thor flew onto his face.

Loki slightly frowned. Pivoting, he walked toward the tesseract and CMS device. Reacting at the last second. Whirled around and blocked Mjolnir with the scepter once more. He pushed on the caught weapons. "Do not force me to eliminate you because I will not hesitate."

Asgard's favored prince planted a foot on the balcony and shoved back. Then his temper suddenly ceased. He searched his little brother. "Loki…your eyes. Why are they a different color? Is this some form of trickery?"

His expression hardened. How dare Thor claim his scheme artificial. "This is no trick, no mischief. I am done with simple tricks. This is war."

A chain reaction of discharges blew the glass out of all the buildings within a several block radius. The blood thirsty Chitauri never stopped screaming. Neither did the panicking humans.

"Why, brother? Why must there be war? Does the scepter make you do this?"

Loki kept their weapons locked. Made Thor step back with each sentence. "There is no puppeteer here. I am the master of my own actions. I don't do this for anyone other than her."

Thor released, straightening. "Her? Mother?"

"How stupid are you?" Materializing his dagger in his free hand, he shoved it through a weak point in Thor's armor. Pressing it in further and embedding a boot in his chest. Sent him to the ground. Holding the dagger in place. He dropped next to his ear. "I'm doing this for what they did to the only one I've ever loved."

He grunted, but he remained on the balcony. Focused on Loki after removing his vision from the hordes still entering through the portal. "I did not know you loved someone."

A guttural, primal roar shook the weakened city. An even darker shadow loomed over the mayhem. Tens of Chitauri leviathan flew out from the portal. Heads bobbing for momentum, they fanned out in various directions. Most of them routing beyond the limits of New York.

Loki's head lifted. An ever-broadening smile on his face, and his gaze drunk with the lust for mortal death.

Thor grabbed him by his ebony hair. Forced him to see the flaming city and the failing Avengers. "Brother, look at this. Do you think this madness will end with your rule?"

He viewed Thor through the corners of his eyes. "You really are an idiot. This isn't about ruling. This is about annihilation. This is about their payment for torturing Aura."

The thunder god released him, understanding settling over him. "Aura is the one you love."

"Yes. And I will not stop until every last one of them has paid with their life."

"Why did you not tell me about her?"

Loki paused at the pain in Thor's face. It wasn't pain from his dagger. Thor could take a dagger to the side without problem. The other was genuinely upset he kept Aura from him. "I…" His silver tongue failed him. With a deep breath, he removed his smaller weapon from flesh.

Thor rose to his knees and placed a hand on Loki's back. "Please tell me what happened to her. She is clearly special to you, so she is special to me, as well."

His head snapped right to see multiple skyscrapers crumbling as the leviathans flew through them without heed. He glanced back at Thor, who seemed to be ignoring the onslaught, completely focused on him. "Odin banished her here when he found out we loved one another. She was a mere servant girl. Which is why I didn't tell you."

The older prince's brow's furrowed. "I have no quarrel with the servants."

"Maybe not, but I assumed you'd…disapprove. Or tell Odin. I don't know what's happened to her in this Realm, but when I found her on the helicarrier, she was chained in a room, alone and frozen. Thor, she thinks I'm a hallucination. Her eyes are hollow, and she screams at me to leave. I don't know what they've done to her."

"The helicarrier? You mean the one S.H.I.E.L.D. uses?"

Loki's eyes narrowed, and he hissed, "yes."

"What reason do they have for imprisoning her?"

"I don't know. But she kept saying she already told me everything I demanded to know. I assume they tortured her for information. The mortals are barbaric. They probably used her for their science."

Thor studied him. "And this is not a lie?"

"How do I benefit from making up a story about a love interest that your precious S.H.I.E.L.D. held hostage and mentally damaged?"

He rose and offered out a hand. "They are not precious to me. I knew I could not trust them when they stole Jane's equipment and desired my hammer. You will not face this injustice alone. Tell me how I can assist you, brother. This is your battle before it is mine, and I will follow your commands."

Loki looked up. This was new. But he clasped his brother's hand and allowed him to help him to his feet. "I won't ask you to turn on all the Midgardians. Your values are much more righteous than mine. But there is something you can do."

"Anything."

"Bring me that helicarrier."

"Consider it done." With a smile, Thor spun Mjolnir at his side and launched off the tower's balcony.

Loki's head tilted as he watched Thor fly off. The encounter surprisingly took him off guard. Something he honestly wasn't upset with. Thor's sentiments made him a loyal ally. Perhaps he should've told him of Aura sooner.

It was true he anticipated his brother's judgement of her. While Thor used to flirt with all women, servants included, he also had a habit of treating them in ways similar to Odin. But he couldn't blame Thor entirely; he was a product of his environment.

If he continued being honest with himself, he was relieved Thor was on his side. There would have been no hesitation in killing him if need be, and he knew it was an action he would've regretted if sawn to completion. And he missed the old days of fighting alongside him. Of fighting back to back with him.

Missed the days when they were just brothers.

The collapse of another building snagged his attention.

Ah, yes. The present bedlam.

He surveyed the blazing city shrouded with debris smoke. Rolled his neck as a delightful sensation trickled down his spine. Despite his elatedness over the power and control he felt, this was for her. It was all for her.

His gaze followed the tesseract's beam.

Another handful of Chitauri leviathan coasted through the portal. These didn't pay this city any mind. They moved on for other prey. A fleet of military fighters joined the fray.

Loki closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. Soot, ash, and iron filling his nostrils. Incessant screams of horror and fatalities filling his ears. When this was done, there would be a throne for him. He would place it right on top of Stark Tower out of spite. Of course, there would be a matching throne for Aura, if she wanted one.

She would be his equal in all things. She would have just as much input as he. Even though she was currently the motivation for his unbridled wrath, she was also his center. She was his humanity. She kept him sane and on the good side of the fine line he traversed.

Assuming he could somehow help her believe the truth of this reality.

His eyes slowly opened. He couldn't let the Chitauri have all the fun, could he? Didn't he tell Stark the army was the least of the Avengers' concerns? He would be this Realm's reckoning.

Striding to the edge of the balcony, he dropped onto one of the many darting flying chariots. Skewered the soldier with the scepter and dragged it off. It was time for him to get his hands dirty. It was time for him to enact the second phase of his plan.

He would find the beast, use the scepter to control it, and unleash it upon the world, as well. Which wasn't hard since the "Avengers" hadn't made it very far from the blocks surrounding the tower. They were clearly overwhelmed.

No. Overwhelmed was an understatement.

Loki held out an arm. A swirl of magic spiraled down his arm and expelled from his fingertips, the area's smoke dissipating. His frost giant form appeared. Jumping off the flying chariot, he landed with his hand on the cracked asphalt, ice leaving his palm.

Thick ice snaked along the street. Found the paths of least resistance as it shot up in great spikes. Impaling those who had yet to evacuate.

A spray of bullets glanced off the Jotun.

Loki's eyes rolled. Slinging his arm, ice daggers found the heads of the annoyances. He strolled through the trail he blazed for himself. Scoffing at the mortals bleeding out on the spikes.

Then he spotted his targets.

The barely assembled team of heroes fought off what little Chitauri they could handle. They noticed him, as well.

Barton released an arrow.

Loki caught it at the side of his head. Rose his brow at the mortal perched on top of a collapsed building. Shot him off with a discharge from the scepter.

Romanoff charged him with duel batons.

He left an illusion, teleporting to his pocket dimension. Emerged behind her. Shattered one of her knees.

She went down but grabbed a Chitauri rifle. Fired.

A green barrier absorbed the blast as he walked away from her. He flicked his wrist, sending ice shards to pin her to the ground.

Rogers approached next, readying his shield in front of him. Glancing at the impaled innocents. "So you're blue now?"

Loki smiled. "Has it been fun, learning of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s dirty secrets?" He gave a pause. "Your lack of answer says yes. Wait until you learn how they treat those they keep for experimentation."

"I think you have S.H.I.E.L.D. confused with Hydra. S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't experiment on people."

"I know you're out of your time, but how are you still this naïve?"

Rogers pushed off the ground. Spinning his body in the air, he brought down his shield.

Loki caught it before it came down on his head. Grinned at the mortal's surprise. "I really think the frozen look suits you, Captain." Ice spread from his fingers. Crawled over America's golden hero until he was completely encased.

He released stationary mortal and moved on. His normal form reemerging. He randomly blasted Midgardians catching his eye. In all reality, they were responsible for their own deaths since they were too foolish to retreat. Why were there so many of them? Why did such an inferior race breed so much?

Stark flew overhead. Temporarily disengaged from the countless Chitauri. Rapidly shot from both hand repulsors.

Loki walked through the line of fire without taking any damage. He waved away the smoke of the disturbed ash on the ground. "Where are your Avengers now?"

Tony landed several feet in front of him. Pulled back his helmet. Sweat and exhaustion clear to see. "What's your deal? Do you need to get laid? I don't understand what you gain here."

"Justice. Satisfaction. You see, I'm the one truly pissed off."

"Yeah, kinda getting that." He spread his arms. "What did we do to you?"

"You don't want me to answer that."

One of the military jets crashed nearby, a plume of fire and smoke rising.

Tony rubbed his face with his hands. "Alright. You win. Just…call off your army and return to wherever it is you come from."

Loki stared at him. "It's not that simple."

"Why not? New York is destroyed with the exception of my tower. Thanks, but I can't accept it. What do you want? For me to tell you you're right? Do you want me to sing praises to your name? What do you desire from this?"

"I've already told you."

"I can't let you destroy the human race."

"You can't defeat me, either."

Tony sighed. "I knew you were crazy, but I didn't understand you were this much of a raging lunatic. I thought this was an ego trip. Clearly, I was wrong. I've been known to be wrong before. Are you sure there's no way for me to convince you to stop this?"

"Positive."

"Fine. You know what. I quit. I give in. Take me as your prisoner. Kill me. I don't care."

Loki inwardly grinned. He approached the mortal. Stood directly in front of him. "What is it that you prefer?"

"This." Stark grabbed the scepter and fired a repulsor.

He ducked away from the blast. Wove under the scepter and moved behind the mortal, twisting his arm behind his back. Dislodged his weapon from Stark's grasp. "While I commend your efforts, you can't trick a trickster."

Tony grimaced. "Worth a shot."

Materializing his dagger once more, he plunged it into the arc reactor. Pushed the mortal to the ground. "I do like you, Stark. I somewhat hope you survive." He stepped over him and searched the area.

Neither Bruce Banner nor the Hulk was here.

Loki commandeered another flying chariot. Shortly spotted a motorcycle cruising across a bridge. His glee heightened. He dismounted his ride and landed in Banner's path. Lazily waved a hand.

Bruce crashed into a green field of magic and tumbled off the bike. Quickly recovered, rolling to his back.

He deliberately strode forward. An unsettling smile across his face.

The scientist visibly swallowed. Crab-walked back a few paces. Glanced around at what used to be a city. "So this all seems, uh, horrible."

"It could be worse."

A line of Chitauri soldiers zoomed by overhead, searching for more targets. The thick ash hanging in the air swirled.

"I fail to see how this could be worse." Bruce pulled his stare from a pile of stained bodies. "What of the Avengers?"

Loki cocked a brow as he stopped at Banner's feet. "I honestly don't care which ones are dead and which ones remain alive." He grabbed the man's shirt and hoisted him to his feet. Brushed dust off his shoulders. "Should they be living, they're fighting you next."

His eyes widened, and he turned to run.

He caught the mortal's throat. Faced him. Placing the scepter on his chest, he straightened with anticipation.

Bruce stood rigidly. His eyes churned black.

Loki grinned and stepped back. "Now. Bring forth the beast."

The scientist yelled as he fought the Hulk even in his controlled state of mind. However, it didn't take long for his skin to tint green and for his form to stretch and enlarge. Within seconds, the Hulk emerged. He faced every sound he heard, roaring battle cries.

He adjusted his grip on the spear. Paced a short line. He wasn't entirely sure if the monster could be controlled by the scepter, but he had quite a bit of faith it would work. He observed the dull creature blindly growling at everything.

"Hulk," he commanded.

The large being slowly faced him. His eyes a bright blue. He waited for his next order.

Exhaling a short laugh, Loki lowered his head. "Destroy."

The Hulk unleashed another roar. Launched himself off the bridge.

An S.H.I.E.L.D. jet passed lower than what the military jets had been typically flying. Headed toward the last tower standing.

His eyes narrowed. He had come too far to be defeated now. Taking a step, he teleported to the tesseract. Waited patiently for the aircraft's arrival. To his surprise, it landed on the upper platform Stark used to de-arm himself. His gaze trained on the lowering ramp.

Thor marched out Nick Fury. "The helicarrier had already been destroyed, so I brought Fury instead. I did not think you would be upset with his capture."

He gripped the scepter hard enough for his knuckles to turn white. His jaw clenching and unclenching.

Fury appeared unfazed. He stood face to face with Loki. "I see you turned Thor against us."

Thor walked around the director and stood next to his brother. "You turned me against you. First, you stole Jane's work. Then you wanted to use the tesseract to make weapons. And you held an innocent girl as a prisoner for interrogation. How is siding with you better?"

Loki rose a brow. His brother made sense.

Fury met the younger prince's gaze. "I think you made your point."

He shifted his weight. "Oh, I don't think I have. How long did you think you could keep Aura away from me? And did you really think I wouldn't take action because of it?"

"So you did find her?"

"I found her, alright." Loki stepped closer, his voice rising. "I found her, but her mind is lost. What did you do to her?"

Fury showed no emotion. "Actually, nothing. Other than arguing with her that she didn't need to be put in the cold cell. Did she inform you that was her decision and hers alone?"

He snatched the director by the neck and flung him across the balcony. "Liar!"

Nick rolled and rose to a kneeling position. Fired the weapon prototype Coulson once used.

Loki's magic misdirected the blast with the flick of a wrist. "Did you really think that would work on me?"

"My security recordings show it worked the first time."

"Your recordings showed one of my duplicates."

Fury slowly rose. "How can a duplicate kill my best agent?"

"Oh, there is so much to magic you can't even begin to comprehend. With the right knowledge, I can do anything with my abilities. All of your recordings show nothing but duplicates."

"Then where were you the whole time?"

"I already knew from Barton the helicarrier redirected a substantial amount of power to a lower level only you had access to. Of course I was curious to see what you were hiding. I just had to wait for you to exit it. When I teleported in, I found my Aura. Keeping her at all was your first mistake."

"So what's your plan? You already decimated New York. Canada and Europe have been invaded. World leaders are at a stalemate because the U.S. wanted to nuke this city." The director turned to Thor. "And you don't have a problem with this?"

The thunder god placed a hand on Loki's shoulder. "He has quite a bit of frustration to work out. Midgard is nothing more than a tiny Realm. Planets rise and fall every day. The universe lives on. I have been the destruction of a few planets, myself."

Loki snapped his fingers. Pleased with his brother's support.

Fluid green restraints bound around Fury.

He approached him. "I won't kill you. Not because I want you to witness Midgard's destruction. No, I want you alive so I can torture you the same way you tortured Aura."

Nick's brows rose. "Good luck. I'm Earth's greatest spy, and I'm not easily broken."

A coy grin played with the chaos god's mouth. "You're not the first spy I've captured, and you won't be the first spy I've broken."

Before he could continue, a Chitauri leviathan bellowed as a stream of fire engulfed its face.

Loki's head whipped toward the flames illuminating the cement-colored haze. "Aura," he breathed.

Thor twirled Mjolnir. "Shall I fetch her?"

He walked to the end of the balcony. Eyes scouring the carnage below. His breathing quickened as his mind ran through scenarios of what could happen to her.

Fury spoke up. "Speaking of Aura, do you think this is what she would want from you? She's an innocent soul who beats herself up for killing the bad guys. Do you think she would approve of this?"

His gaze flickered over the rubble, desperately trying to spot his beloved.

"Hey, I'm talking to you. Do you think this is what Aura would want from you to 'prove' your love for her? Because this isn't love. Love for domination, maybe, but not for her."

"Silence!" With another snap, he made a gag appear over the mortal's mouth. He rolled his neck and blinked a few times. Paced a short line. Suddenly straightened. "Prove…" He faced his brother. He hated what he was about to say, for he wanted to go to her now. "This might prove to her I'm not an illusion, that this reality isn't an illusion. Nothing in her pure mind could fabricate something like this."

Thor stood next to him once more. "If you are correct, then she should join us soon."

Loki gestured with the scepter. "She's joining us now."

A very battered Iron Man flew toward them, a pale-skinned Aura in his arms.


	24. Chapter 24

_Oh my gosh, you guys! I'm so sorry! My Office program crashed, and it took me almost a week to recover all my files. Then I had to verify they were all there. I put all my writings and their notes on Word. I had such a panic attack for days, I couldn't complete anything. Here's the next chapter. I'm so sorry again!_

* * *

 _ **A few moments after the portal opened….**_

Aura crossed her arms and rolled her neck. Tail twitching rather aggressively.

The door of this jet closed long ago; she had been left alone once more.

The imagined jet. Yes, this was nothing more than an illusion. Nothing more than a conjured vision. Clearly, she still resided in her cold cell room on the helicarrier. Clearly, Loki still lurked in one of the corners.

Yet…she couldn't shake the realization she didn't feel the freezing temperatures. Her fingers didn't hurt uncontrollably. She possessed free reign of her movements. She maintained this more powerful form.

Solid black eyes glanced around the interior of the small carrier.

No version of Loki stood anywhere. For the first time in a long time, he was gone.

Her nostrils flared as she tightened her arms together. Uncrossed and re-crossed her legs. Semi-spaded tail continued jerking back and forth.

She honestly didn't know what to think of this situation, didn't know what to do. She could only rehash the same few thoughts over and over in her mind, coming to no real conclusion. As much as she wanted to believe the robots fabricated this to break her, something felt off. Something she couldn't help but question.

The demon's head tilted. Perhaps this was the key? They needed her questioning. Yes, that had to be it.

Her chest rose and fell with a hard huff. She grew bored of this incessant reasoning. She only wanted her mind and soul freed. The only way it could happen was through death. This was the only thing she was certain of. Her eyes fluttered. Oh, how she craved death. True death.

The death where her soul died, and she wasn't stuck in any form of Hel or other afterlife she may wind up in.

A cacophony of screeches vibrated through the jet's frame.

Aura shot off the mounted seats, arms falling to her sides. Hands glowing with equipped fire. She heard voices in the cockpit ahead of her.

Shouts of two frightened men wafted into the hold.

One of her brows rose in suspicion at the sounds. This was new. Caution guided her steps as she headed for the cockpit. But she only made it two strides.

 _Whaam!_

The smaller aircraft lurched, its passengers slamming against the left side.

Aura snarled. She peeled herself off the curved wall. What in the Nine Realms was happening?

Groans rumbled up from underneath the craft. Creaking and cracking. Snaps of bending metal.

Her eyes darted around the space. Realizing the jet sat lopsided on a precipice. Realizing it slid backwards.

More exclamations filled the front.

The small carrier broke free from the skyscraper it had been perched on. It plunged.

Aura flew against the right side and remained pinned as physics took its toll. She didn't know how high they once were. She didn't know why they had been suddenly blasted off. She did know she was ready to accept this fate.

It kept falling.

And falling.

And falling.

And falling.

Her eyes closed. This was it. This was what she waited for. Now she could finally be free from this life of perpetual torment.

The aircraft crashed upside down into the ground with the hideous crunching of metal and shattering of glass. Neither of the scepter-controlled S.H.I.E.L.D. agents survived. Their contorted bodies hung limp, suspended by their harnesses, blood dripping down onto the roof.

Steam hissed as smoke roiled. Dust settled among the wreckage.

Aura grunted, eyes fluttering open. She searched the mangled jet. This was definitely new. However, she wasn't dead, so this must be more of the hallucinations. She tried pushing herself up but cried out in pain.

She blinked several times. Looked down.

Broken seat frame bore into her midsection.

Her jaw set. Unsteady arms finding hold on the roof. Inhaling a deep breath, she forced herself off the metal shard. Grimaced as she watched her life force trickle into a pool. She blinked again and held a hand to her wound. Drew it back.

A darker crimson than her skin glistened in the little light streaming through various holes of the twisted craft. She had been hurt many times during her various visions, but this was the first time she bled. The robots really had stepped up their efforts. She rolled her neck.

With a sharp inhalation she crawled toward the cockpit. Snaking her way across the caved-in craft. She disregarded the pair of bodies, pushing them out of the way. Kicked out what remained of the shattered windscreen. Covering her injury, she looked around the city. Looked around the war zone.

Unknown creatures flooded the streets and swarmed the buildings. They sailed by on chariots inferior to the ones used in Asgard. They cut down any living thing in their path.

She immediately ignored her wound. Escaped the wreckage. Her stature straightening when she surveyed the beings. Tail lashing back and forth as multiple creatures approached her with weaponry.

The invaders shrieked to one another.

Aura yelled back at them, flames surrounding her fists. She rushed the one closest to her and set it ablaze. Used its body as a shield from the incoming fire of laser rifles. One after another, she dropped a few other beings in her nearest proximity. Smiled at their charring bodies.

However, the fight was far from over.

More of the cybernetically enhanced creatures crowded her. The simple foot soldiers flinging themselves on top of her when she continued launching balls of fire at them.

She braced herself for impact after the first one attacked her personal space. But she couldn't withstand the weight of four of them. Her knees buckled. Her fire smothered. She collapsed to the rubble-laden ground.

The aliens clawed at her. Swiping at any piece of bright red body covered with an emerald green jumpsuit.

Her nimbleness kept her mostly free from their assaults as she squirmed underneath them. Their heft pinned her, but she wasn't allowing herself to die this way. She closed her eyes. Gathered her power. Her hair becoming ethereal.

An explosion sent the creatures on her flying back. They suffered fatal damage, and they didn't get back up.

Aura rose to her feet, her hair floating about her face. She looked down at her protective jumpsuit. Ripped off the torn sleeves and the majority of the legs. Yanked off her hindering shoes. Not caring about the long scratches running across her limbs.

The haze of an open gas line rippled along the horizon.

She smirked. Strode down the street barefoot. Kept her vision locked on the leak, not even looking at the invaders she scorched out of her way. When she stood within range of the natural gas, she released a surge of fire.

The wave of flames licked for the broken pipe. A chain reaction of discharges blew the glass out of all the buildings within a several block radius. The blood thirsty creatures never stopped screaming. Neither did the panicking Midgardians.

Her neck rolled with her delight in the destruction she caused. Primal desires of her cursed race satisfied.

"Stand down, or we'll open fire!"

Aura paused and glanced over her shoulder.

Many Midgardians in blue uniforms pointed guns at her from behind various degrees of cover.

She pivoted. Tail lazily curling around her. She ran black nails through her still-suspended charcoal hair, hip cocked. "All of these atrocious beings destroying your city, and you're worried about little me? I'm flattered."

Before the officers could fire their weapons at her, a collection of aliens tore them down.

Her brows rose, and she pursed her lips. "Stupid mortals. It's almost like you had more concerning enemies at hand." She lifted both hands. Caught anything and everything on fire. Walked through the flames. With flourishes of her wrists, she directed another wall of fire at the creatures.

They writhed and screeched before succumbing to their deaths.

She flashed a coy smile. These ugly invaders didn't appear to have an end. And it brought her corrupted joy.

A guttural, primal roar shook the weakened city. An even darker shadow loomed over the mayhem.

Aura, the hideous beings, and the fleeing Midgardians halted in their tracks. All turned toward the sky.

Tens of mechanical creatures swam through a mile wide portal ripped through the atmosphere. Heads bobbing up and down, they fanned out in various directions.

The fire demon backed a few paces. What in the Nine Realms were these things? Why did they…why did they look like giant robotic creatures? Her chest rose and fell with quick breaths. This was the work of the robots, wasn't it?

She glanced around at the utter chaos in the area around her. The strange aliens seemed to be partially robotic, as well. But this made no sense. She had never seen the robots before. Why did she see them now? The flame in her mind flickered, and her normal form threatened returning.

One of the invaders shot the standing target with a laser rifle.

Aura flew back. Not expecting the hit. She skidded across the broken asphalt. Her solid black eyes narrowed as she pushed herself to her feet. "Not today, you unattractive whatever you are." Volleys of fire expelled from her fists.

Anything caught in her relentless wake died relatively quickly.

Satisfied with her work, she continued down the street. Her flames traveling up her arms and skimming off the ends of her hair. She had quite enough of this current torture. There had to be a way to end it. Or change it, in the least.

Although, she didn't find this scenario exactly torturous. Not compared to other hallucinations. In fact, she found this therapeutic, unleashing her formidable form. Something she never had the ability to do before.

But why did she imagine a battle of unending creatures? Especially one on this scale, in a city she had never seen before? She didn't even know the name of this city. All the places of previous visions were ones she visited. And she expected seeing Loki around every turn, but she never saw him.

Why this experience so different?

The pain in her midsection caught up with her, and she placed a hand over the injury. Looked down to see blood continuing oozing out of it. Her teeth gritted. Every aspect of this new nightmare was different.

What if, what if this wasn't a nightmare?

She paused again. Oblivious to the mortals running past her, screaming. Oblivious to the enhanced beings until one of them knocked her down with a single punch to the face. Her world hazed as she made contact with the ground.

A large foot planted on her head.

Her upper lip curled. She locked the ankle in a fiery grasp. Sent the alien up in flames. Watched it stagger off of her until it fell. Once again, she rose to her feet. Brushing off ash and dust.

The longer she remained in this nightmare, the more aggravating it grew.

But her question plagued her mind. What if this wasn't a nightmare?

Then it meant this was reality.

Aura braced herself as the earth rumbled with collapsing buildings further away. She surveyed the carnage. The Midgardians in this section lay dead in the streets. Bodies of creatures she killed joined them. The alive aliens generally didn't pay her heed anymore, moving on to easier prey.

Her hair dropped from its floating status. Fell around her horns and shoulders. The scents of decay and sounds of mortality fully becoming aware to her. If this was reality, she may not want any part of it. She looked over the masses of what used to be buildings. Her lust for carnage slowly fading.

One untouched building towered high above the battleground.

She sucked in a breath when she read the bold letters labelling the top.

 _STARK._

Was Mr. Stark alive? After all this time? She clutched the pendant she kept untouched from her heat. Had he made his arc reactor and the money he dreamed of? Had he made more time for his son?

The weaker form pressured for control again as emotions caught in her throat. No. None of this was real. She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms. If this was real, it meant Mr. Stark left her alone and never returned. Never gave her an explanation for his disappearance.

If this was real, it meant…it meant the new version of Loki was real and so was their conversation in the small aircraft. It meant he had been tortured. It meant he rescued her from the helicarrier. It meant Director Fury searched for her. It meant the invasion proved a much more serious threat.

She yelled at the sky with clenched fists. Barely maintaining her sanity. Why couldn't she break free? What world was she even caught in? Was this reality, or was this an elaborate illusion meant to torture her? Why couldn't she see the truth one way or another?

A shimmer coming from the tower caught her gaze. She shielded her eyes for a better view.

Thor zoomed through the dust-thick air, Mjolnir spinning at his side.

Her brows furrowed. Thor? Why Thor? She had never seen an illusionary Thor before. A knot in her stomach drowned out the pain of her injury. This plane of existence seemed all the more like the truth with each encounter.

Loki.

Loki was real, then. This meant he had to be, didn't it?

Unless this was a dream beyond a dream, a hope beyond a hope. Just another way to break her down. Perhaps this was their last attempt at crushing her soul.

But what if there was the slightest possibility her beloved actually rescued her?

Aura took off running in the direction Thor traveled. The older prince never left his brother behind and most likely flew to his aid. If she followed him, she would surely find Loki. Right?

The raging battle impeded her progress once more. Ground rumbling with the toppling of another building.

She held out her arms for balance. Only to be knocked over by a barrage of heavy bullets. None of them pierced her skin, but she cracked her neck. Reality or not, she was tired of being struck down.

Unleashing a furious battle cry, her hair turned ethereal, and flames covered her entire form. She faced a line of uniformed mortals. Though she hadn't seen these exact patterns on their clothing, she knew they were military of some kind. They were the ones who wanted her for experiments.

Her arms flung out to the sides. She drew upon the already existing fire, pulling it across the ground. Added her own to the burning accumulation. With a lunge forward, she commanded the swell of intense flames to engulf the soldiers.

She smoothed back a stray strand of floating hair. Called the fire closer to her as she approached the bodies. She rolled one over with a foot. Pleased it wasn't alive.

A Midgardian jet thundered overhead. Circling around, it opened fire on the bold target against the bland background.

Aura bolted in the opposite direction of the rounds penetrating the earth, kicking up clouds of ash. However, she wasn't as fast as she would've liked. The force of the impacts alone caused her to stumble. She rolled across the rubble.

The jet passed over. Prepared for another attack.

Her eyes slightly widened. She didn't know if she could survive an assault like this. Quickly rising, she planted a foot behind her for stability. Inhaled a deep breath. Exhaled and emitted as much incendiary magic from her hands as she possibly could.

Two whirling vortexes of fire merged into one. Billowing into the sky, it caught the fighter jet. Sent it soaring through the broken cityscape in a flaming, smoking dive bomb.

She watched it until it crashed out of sight. Allowed a short laugh as she caught her breath. As she fought a round of dizziness. She had no idea she could produce so much fire at one time. Undoubtedly, she owned more power than she originally gave herself credit for.

This newfound confidence went straight into her strides as she carried on in the general direction Thor had flown.

Hips swinging, she observed the ruins of the city. Stretched her arms above her head and lowered them back down. She didn't know why a war raged. She honestly didn't care. For too long had she been waiting for the opportunity to unleash her fire demon side. For too long had she waited for the opportunity to test her abilities.

A blazing pile of rubble snagged her attention.

Her head tilted. On a whim, she snapped her fingers. The heap exploded, and she walked through the resulting smoke unharmed. A shiver of glee coursed down her spine as a slight skip entered her step. This was fun.

In an intersection up ahead, a flurry of the creatures soared by on their chariots.

Her interest piqued. Light on her feet, she sprinted across the debris with ease. Bare feet untouched by the various shards of glass and metal. She slowed upon reaching the intersection. Checked both ways.

Thick ice impaling mortals lined both sides of the wide street.

Aura's brows furrowed. Was this the missing cold finally manifesting itself into her hallucination? She approached the nearest ice stalagmite and placed a hand on its stained surface. No Midgardian possessed this kind of magic. Not that she had seen, anyway. But its signature felt familiar.

She tapped into her Alfheim heritage. Allowing it freedom for only a brief moment so she could identify the energy. Then she stepped back, stunned. No. It couldn't be. She must be wrong. Her inferior form was wrong.

The non-melting ice felt like Loki.

But she now knew he had frost powers, didn't she? On the small carrier, he revealed himself to be a Jotun. Her chest rose and fell with uneven breaths. If this was an illusion, the robots had become unusually consistent.

Her eyes traveled up the spike. Surveyed the dead body on top and the blood still leaking down. This had to be an illusion, though. Her Loki didn't kill people. Then she looked down at her hands. But she didn't kill people, either.

A knot formed in her throat, and she shook her head. No. She needed to turn away from these emotions. She couldn't focus on such trivial behavior. Why did it matter if anyone killed anyone? Death was an equal part of existence. Why did it matter if one person lived longer than another?

Exclamations attracted her head to the right. Her eyes narrowed as she stared down the street.

Several mortals tried banding together. However, they were severely weakened.

Flames danced over and around a hand. Perhaps she should put them out of their misery. They were nothing more than another obstacle keeping her from reaching her goal. She approached with irritated determination.

A mortal hemorrhaging from his chest and mouth stood over a red-headed woman bleeding from an assortment of wounds. He pulled out a bow and fired his last arrow.

Aura's brows rose as the projectile melted against the sheer heat radiating from her.

The man dropped to his knees. Unable to keep going any longer.

She approached the pair on the ground. Holding their gazes. Her fingers wrapped around the clothing of the archery man, and she pulled him close, her fire tasting his face. "I honestly don't know if I should be offended or amused. You aren't surprised by me?"

He visibly steeled himself against the heat. The beading sweat rolled down his neck. "I've seen weirder."

The Midgardian woman struggled, but she managed forcing herself to her knees. Picked up an available alien laser rifle.

Aura glanced at her. Her tail wrapped around the mortal's wrist hard enough for her to drop the weapon. "I don't think so. Before I kill you both, I would like some information. Who are the invaders?"

They pair seemed confused.

The man coughed up blood before his damaged voice spoke up. "You're not with them?"

She sighed. "You're not too bright are you? Why would I be asking about them if I were?"

They exchanged glances.

The woman answered after a quick nod to the man. "So, you're not with him, either?"

Aura blinked several times. Unamused by their questions. "How do I even know who you're talking about when you don't use names? And believe me when I say you don't want to infuriate me more than I already am."

The archer's head backed away from the small fire under his chin. "You want us to believe you're not with the Chitauri when you're threatening us?" He coughed some more. "You're clearly not Earth material."

She focused on him. "Oh, I've been on Midgard longer than you might think."

"Midgard? Isn't that a Nordic term?"

"No, it's an Asgardian term. Midgard is this Realm. I have no idea what a Nordic is. Why do you insist on being so annoying?" She suddenly cried out as a blade entered her torso wound. Releasing both of them, she stumbled back a few paces. Looked up.

The red-haired mortal had pushed through the fire demon's barrier. Willingly burned herself to stab her.

Aura uncontrollably shuddered as she removed the dagger from her torso. She tried casting fireballs, but her footing failed. Breathed heavily as she held herself above the ground. She didn't realize just how much the adrenaline masked.

The Midgardians weren't the only ones weakening.

She snarled. These pathetic mortals wouldn't best her. Even if her external fire died. Charging forward, she punched down the man, knocking him out with one hit. Provided the same courtesy for the woman. Staggered a few steps.

"Hey!"

Her head lifted.

A Midgardian man in red and gold armor propped himself up against a frozen being he attempted unthawing. "Yeah, you, Fire Woman." He panted. "Can you help me before you kill me?"

She barely lifted an arm. Finally blasted something back with fire.

A roar shook the area behind her.

With a deep sigh, she turned around. What now?

One of the robotic whales ventured toward her and the mortals.

Aura straightened with a set jaw. As much as she once delighted in the destruction, she was not built for prolonged battle. In fact, she wasn't built for battle at all. But she still needed to find Loki. He had been here. And she wasn't about to allow this ugly creature keep her from him.

She assumed the same stance as when she faced the jet. Steadied her breathing and held position. Waited for the beast to coast nearer. Her eyes closed. Brows furrowing, she pushed forward a stream of intense fire.

The mechanical alien bellowed in response, but it continued coming closer.

Her eyes snapped wide as she screamed back at it. Discharging everything she could muster. Her form trembled, but she held fast. Took a step forward. Found another unsteady foothold. Then another.

The creature roared again. However, its advancement slowed with its face engulfed in fire. Its nose dove into the ground. A chain reaction of explosions detonating down its body. It slid to a stop in front of the fire demon.

Aura scowled at the giant monstrosity until she made sure it perished. Then she collapsed. Unable to keep her alternate form any longer. Her usual appearance surfaced. She clutched her midsection, gasping at the blanket of ash beneath her.

She glanced at the whale creature. Her body convulsing with labored breaths. What had she done?

A groan pulled her out of her mind before she fell too deep.

Burying back the pain, she clambered to her feet and headed for the sound. Cautiously approached the man in armor. Gasped at the deep hole in his chest. She dropped beside him, helping him sit up against a mangled vehicle.

He eyed her. "Fire Woman?"

She bit her lip and nodded. Burst into tears. "I'm so sorry."

One of his hands grasped hers. "It's okay. We," he drew a sharp breath, "we have one of you on our team. Although, I have no idea where he is." He dug his head into the blackened metal. "Look, kid, I'm dying. Promise…promise me you'll unthaw Captain, okay?"

Aura blinked. "Captain?" Peggy's Captain? She looked at the frozen Midgardian. Then back at the man in her arms. "I-I'm not normally a monster. I'm a healer. I can, I can heal you. Tell me what to do. I can fix you."

"I highly doubt it, but why not, huh?" He grimaced as he lifted a hand and ripped out a broken piece of partially glowing cybernetics. "There's shrapnel threatening my heart. But there's, wow, okay, this hurts more than I remember." He took a couple moments. Closed his eyes. "There's so much tech in me."

She searched him. He looked strangely familiar, but she knew she had never met him before. She turned her attention to his chest. "I think…I think I can do this. It might hurt at first, but I think I can do this."

"Like I said. I'm already dying, so there's not much at stake her."

Keeping hold of his hand, she reached inside the hole with her free hand. Cringed at his exclamation. She focused her energy. Relieved when she felt her healing magic emanating from her fingertips. Her eyes squeezed shut as she visualized her process.

The Midgardian's flesh slowly began mending. Forced out any foreign objects within it.

Aura's hand rose out of the manmade hole as it sealed underneath her magic.

The shards of metal and technological components falling harmlessly down his chest.

He allowed a short laugh of disbelief. Looked down at himself and fully sat up. Touched his newly restored skin. "I know I shouldn't be as amazed as I am, but how did you do this?"

She sunk her head in between her shoulders. "I'm not really sure. I just heal people."

The man rose and stretched his limbs. "I haven't felt this good in years." He helped her to her feet, looking her over. "Uh, can you heal yourself? You're just as banged up as I was."

"No, I-I can't." A trembling hand found her open wound. "I don't know why I can't. Queen Frigga says it's because I won't allow myself to use my magic on myself. I'm not sure."

His eyes suddenly widened, and he took a step toward her. "Where did you get that necklace?"

Aura shrunk back. Unsure how to process his shift in mood. She clutched the pendant. "Mr. Stark gave it to me a long time ago."

The armored Midgardian blinked. "Do you…Mr. Stark? Do you know his first name?"

"Howard."

He ran his hands through his hair. Turned away from her. Pivoted back around and pointed a finger at her. "How do you know my father?"

Her brows knitted. But she soon erupted into a smile. "You're Tony, aren't you? You're Tony grown up."

"How do you know my name?"

"Mr. Stark talked about you all the time. He had such high hopes for you. He loved you very much. Is he doing okay? I haven't seen him since the eighties, I think. I can't remember if that's the right decade or not."

Tony stood at a loss. "How old are you? You look like a child. Maybe you could pass as a young adult, but that's pushing it."

Her shyness returned, and she played with strands of her tri-colored hair. "I don't know what my age translates to in Midgardian time. I don't even remember how old I am, I've been here so long. But I know I'm half light elf. Queen Frigga says it takes their bodies a long time to look old."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "This still doesn't explain how you know my father."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. He explained he wasn't much of a medical doctor, but he helped me a lot. Peggy trusted him, and so did I."

"Let's…let's pick this up at another time. There's too many layers here to unravel. We sort of have the world's impending doom on our hands."

Aura looked up. "Is Loki here? Can you take me to him?"

Stark's gaze gradually traveled to her. "Wait, you're with Loki? You do realize he's the reason for all this, right? He's the one who nearly killed us, the one who's destroyed New York and who knows what other cities. This is his messed up invasion."

She winced. "It's come to my understanding this is his doing. I think I know why. If I can get to him, I promise I can reason with him. I can get him to stop. I just need to find him."

"I have a feeling I know where he is. If you can heal the others, I can take you to him. I just have to tinker with the reactor so it can power my armor again. It shouldn't take long. I'm a bit of a genius."

"Arc reactor?"

"Yes." He paused. "My father's invention. Although, I'm sure you already knew that, given he gave you a necklace resembling the prototype. I condensed it to a smaller, more efficient form." He searched the ground then returned his attention to her. "They'll be time for talking later. Don't let my friends die, okay?"

She nodded. "As long as they're your friends, I'll help them."

He eyed her as he retrieved the pieces of the reactor.

Aura moved to the pair of Midgardians unconscious on the ground. Settled on her knees. She put a hand on each of them and watched her white magic filter over them. Thankful her restoration powers didn't consume as much energy as her destructive.

When they came to consciousness completely healed, she played with her hands in her lap. "I'm really sorry for what I did to you. I honestly don't want to kill you."

The assassins scrambled to their feet. Ready to attack at a moment's notice.

Tony waved a hand. Tweaked with his suit. "She's friendly. She's got Banner syndrome."

The archer lifted a brow. "You're the red demon thing?"

Aura nodded, and she left her gaze down. "Unfortunately, yes. I have no control over that form yet. I truly am sorry. Do you feel better?"

The red headed woman checked herself over while keeping an eye on the other female. "Yes, actually. Who are you working for?"

Stark walked up, finishing attaching the arc reactor to his armor. It flickered many times before staying on. "We don't know, but she's been with S.H.I.E.L.D. since at least the eighties."

Aura looked up at him. "I've been with S.H.I.E.L.D since it was the Strategic Science Reserve."

"You what? We are so going to have a discussion later." He turned back to Barton and Romanoff. "She thinks she can reason with Loki. We might be able to stop this, after all. I'm taking her to the tower. You two free the Capsicle and meet us there when you can."

The other two nodded, both staring at the alien girl.

"Can you hold on to me, kid?"

Aura nodded and basically hugged the man. Squeezed her eyes shut as he blasted off the ground with one hand, using the other to keep her safe.

It didn't take long for Tony to reach the tower. He observed the restrained Fury as he gingerly rested on the side of the balcony opposite of Loki and Thor. Looked down at Aura. "You can let go now. We're on land."

She carefully opened her eyes, peering at the balcony underneath her feet. Exhaled a stinging breath she didn't know she had been holding.

"Aura?"

Her head turned.

Loki stood in full battle regalia, complete with helmet and cape. He also held a weapon she didn't recognize, but his anxious expression was what caught her off guard.

Stark held up his hands and backed away from the female Asgardian. "She came to me in this condition. I had nothing to do with it."

Aura searched her beloved. "Loki?" When he nodded, she slowly stepped forward. Stopped after only a few feet. Unconsciously daring him to meet her halfway.

Loki handed the scepter to Thor without thinking twice. He closed the gap in almost one stride. His breath caught as he found her gaze.

She studied his blue eyes. She had dreamt of their reuniting for so long. But she honestly had no idea what to do now that their time had come.


	25. Chapter 25

Loki searched the woman before him. He looked over her bloody form, noticing all the cuts and lacerations across her skin. Noticing the deep crimson stain in her stomach region. Anger boiled within him. "What happened to you? Who hurt you?"

Aura dropped her gaze, subconsciously covering her midsection. She hated causing him concern. Especially when he focused on her. But she couldn't lie. She didn't know how to properly lie. Especially not to someone who had a reputation of having a silver tongue. "The jet was shot down, and a few of the invaders gave me trouble, but I'm okay."

His eyes burned. "I told those men to protect you with their lives. When I find them—"

"The agents are dead." Her voice remained quiet. "They did their best; they sacrificed their lives. I'm alright, though. It looks worse than it feels."

"If someone hurt you—"

"My other form already took care of the ones who assaulted me. Only the strange alien creatures attacked me. I'm alright. Please believe me."

He studied her gaze. Not wanting to upset her further about her injuries. Even though he knew she downplayed her condition. It wasn't to impress him. No, she disliked attention, even if she didn't realize she was the center of his world. However, one question plagued him more than the rest. "Do you think I'm an illusion?"

She swallowed. "I…" Blinking, she grabbed one of his hands and placed her palm on his. "You never could pass one of your duplicates off on me. Or Queen Frigga."

Loki's gaze flickered to their hands. "That doesn't answer my question, love."

Aura looked at the large machine whirring with blue energy. She didn't want to answer his question because she didn't think she knew the answer. The only thing she could do was redirect the conversation. "What's that?"

"It's," he took a deep breath but kept his eyes on her, "it's what sustains the portal."

"Why does the portal need to be open?"

"It allows the Chitauri to come through."

"What are the Chitauri for?"

He sighed through his nose and closed his eyes. Her questions were so innocent, but he knew why she probed him. She wanted him acknowledging the reasons for his actions and to decide if they were worth continuing. How many times had they gone through this process before?

The process to bring him back on track when he became lost in his passions.

His hand graced her cheek as he smoothed a strand of hair behind her slightly pointed ears. Did she even know how she cared for him? Did she know how much she helped calm and clear his mind? Or how much it meant to him she never judged his answers?

The only time she judged—or whatever she could attempt as judgement—was when he wasn't completely honest with her. "The Chitauri are for me, love. They're for me so I could fulfill a plan that evolved into avenging your capture."

Aura gave one slow nod. "So you already planned an invasion on Midgard?"

"Yes. Can you recall my account of the Titan?"

She searched him. Something…something wasn't right with him. She didn't know what exactly plagued him. But the longer they left their hands together, the more she felt the presence of magic that wasn't known for being his. "I remember."

Loki slightly smiled, pleased she actually knew of their conversation in the small carrier. "This was actually to warn Midgard of him, but when I found you, I couldn't restrain myself any further. They needed to pay for what they had done to you."

Her gaze traveled to the portal machine once more. Then she returned to him. "But this isn't how we do things. So many people have died."

"I-I know. But no price is too high for you, my dear. I've told you this before." His brows knitted. "Is this why you're so stiff with me? Are you upset with me? Or do you still question my existence?"

She withdrew her hand from his. Slightly turned away. Played with layered strands of hair as she fought her pounding heart. "I don't know."

"Aura—"

"I said I do not know."

His jaw set. He knew who was at fault for this. Flexing his hand, he summoned the scepter to his grasp. Moved to Fury and forced him on the ground, removing his magical bonds. Knelt on his back while lifting his head.

Tony started forward. Held out placating hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. This isn't how we do things, remember?"

Thor tripped the mortal without looking at him. Dropped Mjolnir on him. "This is not your fight, Stark."

He tried pushing himself up, but with the hammer on his back, he was pinned to the balcony. "You're siding with him now? Is Loki controlling you, too? Does he just get to control everyone?"

Thor crossed his large arms. "I am of my own mind. Loki has always been my brother, and I will stand by him. But I will ask you this. How is he in the wrong when your people have been holding one of our own hostage? On Asgard, this is considered an act of war. His reaction is appropriate."

Stark inhaled a deep breath, muttering underneath it. "Then I guess this is it. So much for the earth's mightiest heroes."

Loki held the blade of the scepter under the director's throat. "What did you do to her?"

Fury attempted glaring up at him. Un-phased by his current predicament. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

"Then I have no use for you." Lifting the scepter, he brought down the weapon's point above the director's head.

"Wait!"

His head whipped up, and he instinctively froze at the voice.

Aura's eyes glistened with tears. "It's not his fault. I was the one who put myself in that chamber. Director Fury argued against me, but I made him do it."

"What?"

"Yes. I needed, I needed to be in a place where I couldn't hurt people. He didn't want me in there. He gave me other options. He's been taking care of me since he took over S.H.I.E.L.D. The cold chamber was my choice."

Loki glanced down at the mortal before releasing him. Slowly straightened. "I don't understand why you would do this to yourself."

Her face went into her hands. "Because I'm a demon! You saw me. I'm evil. I hurt people, Loki. I killed people. I've been used for many of Midgard's centuries by evil people. I couldn't, I couldn't live that way any longer."

Leaving Fury to his own devices, he appeared at her side in a heartbeat. Wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "No, no, no. You are not evil. You are the purest being to ever exist in the universe. You simply have a power you don't understand. But it's okay. You're okay. I am the evil one."

She buried her head into his armored chest, her tears freely flowing. "I don't think you're evil. You just seem misguided right now. I don't know what's wrong, but you're not evil. You've never been evil."

He placed a hand on the back of her head. Glanced at the scepter in his other hand. "I think you're the only one to truly believe that."

Fury rose and brushed himself off. "I would hate to inconvenience this…touching reunion, but can we get this portal closed? I'd like to save what little of Earth I could."

Loki glared over his shoulder, the stone in his weapon subtly glimmering. He held Aura closer. Pressed his lips to her forehead and mumbled more to himself than anyone else. "They have to pay. They have to pay. They must pay."

Aura shifted enough to free her arms. She found her beloved's gaze. Removed his helmet and gingerly placed it on the ground.

He searched her. Swallowed at her disarmament of him.

"They have already paid." Taking his hand, she led him to the portal's machine. Occasionally checking on him, making sure he willingly followed. She couldn't force him to do anything, but she tried her best keeping him on the right path.

Selvig suddenly emerged in front of the CMS device. Outstretched his arms. "You cannot take the universe away from me. I have worked too hard. I won't let you."

Loki heavily sighed. Extended the scepter and touched the Midgardian's chest with it.

The scientist's eyes momentarily swirled black before returning to their natural color. He inhaled a gasp. Blinked and stumbled. "What's…what is going on?" Recovering, he noticed Loki and stumbled back. "What do you want with me now?"

"I'm here to close the portal."

Erik's brows scrunched with disbelief. He looked at Aura, who nodded. "If that's true, then I think I built a fail-safe. The scepter should be the key."

Loki eyed him then brushed past. Stared at the tesseract within the machine. Took a deep breath. Part of him didn't want to touch it. Part of him, the majority of him, desired leaving the tesseract in its current condition. It was so beautiful.

His arm twitched when someone laid a hand on it. He somewhat startled. Noticed Aura standing right next to him.

She gave a reassuring nod. "You're not alone. I'm here, too."

He smiled. Without allowing further thought, he thrust the scepter through the energy barrier. Yanked it out.

Selvig sought shelter behind Fury.

The tesseract surged before relinquishing its beam. The portal above momentarily closed, cutting off the supply of invaders.

A slight wave of disappointment settled over Loki. He wanted more. More unruly destruction. More mortal death. They deserved more. For what they did to the one he loved, they deserved to have—

He felt another squeeze on his arm. His brows slightly furrowed, and he looked down.

Aura nodded again, gently smiling. Rested her hands on either side of his face. "See, it wasn't that hard, was it? If you were truly evil, you wouldn't have closed the portal. For what it's worth, I'm proud of you."

Loki searched her. Thin trails of tears traced his cheeks. "I missed you so much. I missed you more than you'll ever know."

She followed suit in his cries. "I missed you, too. I thought about you every day."

He threw his arms around her and held her close. Buried his head in her neck. "I thought I had lost you. I was so afraid I'd never find you." His legs weakened.

Her body trembled as she lowered to her knees with him, both of them now sitting on the balcony. She openly wept with him and repetitively stroked the back of his hair. "I'm here now. You found me. I'm present. You saved me."

Fury allowed a short, exasperated laugh. "To think, all this time, I had the one thing that could bring him to his knees."

Loki clutched the one he held most dear. "I love you." Kissed the top of her head. "I never stopped loving you."

Aura allowed herself to be held, having desired nothing more for as long as she could remember. "I never stopped loving you, either."

Stark held up a hand then dropped it. His movement still limited. "Oh, my god. Can I say something? I'm going to say something. This was seriously about you needing to get laid? Are you happy about what you've done?"

Loki's eyes snapped wide, and he removed himself from Aura. Deliberately rose and faced the prone mortal. His vindictive tone emerged. "Do you honestly believe this invasion is about a primal need you think I can't control?"

Thor called Mjolnir to himself. With his free hand, he lifted Tony up and stood him on his feet. Kept a grip on the back of his neck. "Your words are unwise, Stark. All you have done is pissed him off."

Loki stalked forward, the scepter held firm in his grasp. "This is about saving her from the likes of your kind. Do you know what they did to her? Allow me to show you—"

"Loki, no," Aura cried. She moved in front of him and placed a hand on his chest. "No. No more violence. No more bloodshed. You have me. I'm here. We're together again. It's okay."

One of his eyes twitched, and he rubbed it as he turned away. "Th-they need to pay. Every last one of them. Every last one."

Her eyes darted over him. Something infiltrated his mind with the way he continued resorting to ire. He was normally so composed and only vented in private. She kept her voice calm. "Can you look at me?" She wrapped her fingers in his free hand when he didn't respond. "Please, Loki. Look at me."

Shamefully, he faced her. Kept his blue gaze down.

The tips of her fingers glowed with white magic. She returned her hands to his face. "I don't know if this will break whatever has a hold on you, but I love you. Nothing you've ever done will change that. I know why you unleashed your wrath upon this Realm. In a way, I'm happy knowing you'll go to such lengths for me, but I know you know this isn't right. Let go of your anger. Release you hatred."

His eyes fluttered closed, and he melted into her healing magic. Relished in its warmth and restoration. Oh, how he missed her gentle touched. Yet, it conflicted with the forces at play in his mind. Fought against the partial control over him.

The darkness of his mind, aided by the stone within the scepter, consumed him once more. He grimaced, lip curling. Flashes of Thanos and the Other appeared in various locations. Each time, they emerged closer and closer. Until the Other's hooded form materialized next to his face.

Loki's chest rose and fell with hard breaths as the Other snatched his hair and pulled his head back. His eyes traveled to Thanos, who now towered over him.

The Titan maliciously grinned. "You have yet to know true pain."

Sweat beaded across his skin. He knew where this tunnel of thought would lead. He swallowed. Steeled himself the best he could. Then relived every varying degree of torture he suffered on that ship. Relived every unending nightmare fueled by constant agony.

"Loki?" It was Aura who spoke the soft inquiry.

Everything within his brain immobilized. Her voice sounded so faint, yet it tugged at his heartstrings. The concern and caring reaching through his darkness, as it always had. He only needed to find her.

His physical self subconsciously pressed Aura's hands harder against his face. In his mental void, he frantically searched for his light. He knew she literally stood in front of him, but he didn't realize how much he allowed the stone to control. Or just how far he dove into ill intentions. And only he could climb out of the hole he buried himself in.

"Loki?"

Her echo pushed him on. His head leaned into her hands while his mental form turned around. And there, in the distance was his light. His reason for walking the good side of the chaotic line. All he had to do was reach her.

Thanos swirled into existence. Planted his ghostly form in between Loki and the girl. He glanced over his shoulder. Smiled again. "You forget I control you. You are my pawn to move. Since you need another lesson in servitude, I'll make sure her pain is worse than anything I did to you."

He gritted his teeth. Amalgamating with his magic, he lunged forward.

The physical Aura noticed the sweat on Loki's face. While his eyes remained closed, she watched his face go through a myriad of emotions. His grimaces wrenched her heart. Was she hurting him? But he held her hands against him. So she didn't hurt him?

A light caught the corner of her eyes. She looked down. He still held the scepter. Held it hard enough his knuckles turned white. The tip of it glowed. Radiated the same peculiar energy that had a hold on him.

She glanced at his face. Flattened her lips together then returned her attention to the weapon. Removing one of her hands from him, she grabbed the scepter. An electrifying sensation coursed up her arm.

Her jaw set as she tried prying it from his death grip. "Loki?" She needed him to let it go. This had to be the thing affecting his mind. With the signatures coming from it, it most definitely was.

All the nerves in her arm tingled with feelings she didn't like. The power in the scepter wasn't malicious. Yet, it wasn't exactly benevolent, either. It was neutral. But it wanted control because it already had it.

Aura pulled on it with the little strength she could muster. "Loki?" After a hard jerk, she managed releasing it from his hand.

The glowing within the weapon subsided.

She exhaled a sigh of relief. Threw it toward Director Fury. It could become his problem. She didn't want it anymore. Shaking off the sensations in her arm, she replaced her hand on his face. Dedicated her attention to him.

Loki's expressions became almost unbearable to watch. Had she made everything worse? Did she only escalate the situation? He clearly battled something in his mind. Was her magic not enough? What did she do?

Her heart raced inside her chest, and she breathed heavily through her mouth. What did she do? He was in pain; she could see it. She didn't want him to suffer. Of course her healing abilities were inadequate. Why did she think they would work? She had failed. But what else could she do?

There was another thing she could try.

Aura's eyes lifted. It somewhat worked on her, didn't it? She swallowed. Here went nothing. Without a second thought, she pulled his head down closer to her. Pressed her lips against his.

In that moment, everything within her stilled. Everything quieted, because she felt him. She felt all of the grief within his soul. The longing, the fear. The innate desire to find her. It broke her heart, knowing he endured the same reactions to their separation as she. She wasn't worth this much distress.

Then, she suddenly felt joy.

"Aura."

She startled, opening her eyes.

Loki stared at her. The emerald color returned to his gaze.

Her brows knitted with happiness. "I didn't…I didn't think I could—"

"You've always been able to help me. You don't allow yourself to see it." He held up her hands and kissed her knuckles. You are my gentle spirit, love."

She giggled a bit.

Thor discarded Stark and approached his bother. Took him by the shoulders and looked at his eyes. "You are no longer under a spell?"

Loki sighed, the burden of the stone no longer on him. "No, I'm not."

He leaned in, whispering. "Shall I tell her you fancy her? Because I believes she fancies you."

The mischief god opened his mouth for a smart remark but caught himself. Patted his older brother's arm. "You know what, Thor? Don't change."

Tony looked from the group of Asgardians to Fury. "Are we just going to let this happen?"

The director inspected the scepter in his hand. "I learned my lesson the first time. I'm not coming between them again. If you want to try, be my guest."

Stark shook his head. "What about the existing Chitauri? Do they all die now? What happens?"

Loki detached himself from Thor and Aura and approached the trio of mortals. "The Chitauri have a hive mind, but they remain connected no matter how far away they are from the control ship. You'll have to exterminate them. What's your shtick again? Midgard's Avengers?"

Tony's brows rose, but a distant ding cut him off.

Steve Rogers, flanked by Barton and Romanoff, marched onto the balcony. "Does somebody want to explain to me what the Sam Hill is going on here?"

Stark's head cocked. "Yeah, _Nick_ , you wanna explain how S.H.I.E.L.D. has been keeping an Asgardian child captive in its basement since it was the S.S.R.? Or how she knew my father? Or why she's had these healing powers, and we haven't been using her to cure cancer?"

The rest of the Avengers glared at the director.

Fury deeply sighed. "The only ones who knew of her before me were Peggy Carter and Howard Stark with a handful of others who helped in her apprehension."

Steve started forward. "Peggy?"

"Yes. Her code has been A-001, as she's the first alien S.H.I.E.L.D. encountered. Extraterrestrial science was still in development, and after the Red Skull incident, they were hesitant to let her wander around. Turned out, she had an uncontrollable alternate form."

Aura stood behind Loki, using him for protection as she peeked around him. Avoiding everyone's stares.

Fury continued. "She's been on Midgard since the Middle Ages, and her reputation isn't a good one. I was told she had the potential to be dangerous, and after the Colonel debacle, I decided I was the only one who needed to know about her. Clearly, it wasn't the best decision, but it was the only reasonable option at the time."

Barton inclined his head to the still-crumbling city. "So what's the deal with the invasion?"

Stark lifted up a hand and pointed at Loki. "Talk to Rock of Ages."

The mischief god slowly smiled. "Ask your director."

Everyone returned their attention to Fury.

Fury inhaled a deep breath. "Aura is Asgardian, and he thinks I've been holding her hostage. But I can assure you she was never mistreated by me, Carter, or Stark.

Romanoff's head tilted. "So, for decades, S.H.I.E.L.D. has had possession of an Asgardian? And another Asgardian waged war to get her back? Sounds like something Russia would do, has done. I no longer find the invasion surprising."

Thor puffed out his chest. "She is no mere Asgardian. She is my brother's kjæreste."

Slevig held up a finger. Wanting to be of some use to the conversation. "That means girlfriend for those who don't speak Norwegian. Or Asgardian, apparently."

Rogers whipped his head to Fury. "S.H.I.E.L.D. kidnapped Loki's love interest?"

Fury looked skyward. "No! We kept her from being used by the rest of the world. The Colonel and other soldiers have proven another organization may be at play within our own."

Stark crossed his arms. "No, I think it qualifies as kidnapping."

"Can we focus on the more important matters at hand, please? There are Chitauri all over the globe. Shouldn't you all be killing them? This is what the Avengers Initiative is for."

Thor crossed his arms in turn. "I will be returning to Asgard with Loki and Aura."

Fury eyed the partial light elf, who remained silent from behind her protector. "From my understanding, she was banished. You really think they'll take her back?"

"I am a prince of Asgard, a potential heir to the throne. My words can weigh as heavily as my father's. She will be granted passage."

Loki blinked a few times. Slightly taken aback by the thunder god's words. But pleased, nevertheless. Then he looked at the director. "So long as it's what she wants, I'm taking her with me. Should you want to stand in my way again, I will be more than happy to finish decimating this petty Realm."

Fury sighed again. "I think we can come to arrangement. We both had good, albeit construed, intentions. We both handled this situation in the worst way possible. But, I think we can fix this. You never return to Earth, and I'll leave you—and her—out of my reports."

Thor subtly brandished Mjolnir. "Should you ever come across another Asgardian again, I suggest you return them to Asgard. Heimdall will open a portal for them if they call upon him. Keep another one of us under your so-called care, Loki will not be the only one you will have to fight."

Loki's fingers wrapped around Aura's. "What would you like to do, love?"

Aura looked up at him. "Anything with you."

He smiled. Rose a brow at Fury. Then teleported his trio away from New York, making them all appear on abandoned cliffs of Norway.

Thor looked around at the abrupt change in location. "This is not Asgard."

"No. I have to prepare a spell for that trick."

"Nonsense. I will simply call Heimdall." He looked up.

Loki placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't bother. You sided with me, so he won't answer you. This is why all Realms have back doors. We'll get to Asgard." A realization hit him.

Thor tilted his head. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"They still have to deal with the Hulk. I may or may not have forgotten he's under the influence of the scepter. But I'm sure they'll figure it out. We'll call it a little going away present."

He chuckled a bit. "Banner will keep them more than occupied. Why bring us here?"

"I needed a place where I could think unimpeded. If I stayed there any longer, I would've stabbed someone. Plus, I wanted to leave before Fury could change his mind about Aura."

The thunder god's smile dropped. "Where is Aura?"


	26. Chapter 26

"Where is Aura?" Thor repeated, walking to the edge of the cliff and peering over. He shielded his eyes from the sun glaring off the water down below. "I do not think she has fallen."

"I don't…I don't know what happened. She should be with us. She should be here, needs to be here. I can't, I can't have lost her. I can't lose her. Not again." Loki searched the immediate area around them. A trail of flattened grass catching his attention. His heart jumped. Could it be this simple? After what seemed like an eternity after Thor asked the question the first time, could it really be this simple? Running down the hull, he slid to a stop in the grass.

The thunder god turned around with an inclined head. Calling as he left the cliff by itself. "What is it, Brother?"

Loki's breath held as he gingerly lifted Aura's unconscious body off the ground and into his arms. "I don't, I don't know what went wrong." He brushed strands of hair off her sweating skin. His eyes found her torso wound, and his jaw set. He pulled out a dagger without hesitation. Shredded apart his cape for a tourniquet.

"How stupid am I? How insanely stupid am I? Extremely stupid, yes. Because I've known, haven't I?" His tone quickened its pace and hit a higher register. "I knew before I teleported us here that she had an injury. I knew, but I did it anyway, because I was thinking only of my needs, not hers, but the teleportation shouldn't have harmed her as it's a completely harmless spell, so I don't—"

Thor clamped a large hand on one of Loki's shoulders. "Snap yourself out of this."

Wild emerald eyes lifted.

Bright blue eyes darkened with concern. "We both know how drastically you act when you live in anxiousness. Please, Brother. Calm yourself."

A snarl formed. "How can you tell me to calm myself, Thor? How dare you tell me to be calm. She's unconscious, and her pulse is fading. She's dying in my arms, and you want me to be calm?" Small tears trickled down his face. "I just found her, Thor. After so long of searching, I found her, and I'm losing her. Her mind is barely here, and now her body is leaving, too."

Thor's brows furrowed. Mjolnir fell out of his grasp and into the vibrantly green grass. But he found silence. Found solemnness as Loki's words settled in his mind.

For some time, the only sound was the waves crashing against the rocks far down at the base of the rocks. A steady reassurance of the forces of nature on Midgard. A steady, lonely sound. Until it was greeted with a strong wind off the sea. The wind surged up and over the cliff, swaying the grass with serene hisses.

Loki cradled Aura's head against his neck. Closing his eyes, he rested his lips against her forehead and left them there. Gently rocked back and forth with her.

Thor blinked a few times. He looked up. Searching the clear blue sky for answers.

Moments passed.

Painfully drawn out moments of nothing but sea and wind.

Asgard's favored prince finally dropped his gaze. "Can you not harness your magic to heal her?"

A long pause before Loki answered. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't."

"Can you not do anything you please with your magic? I have witnessed the most marvelous things because of your magic. You can heal her, can you not?"

Why did his brother insist on being so persistent? Masking his growing panic, Loki lined his voice with irritation. "No, I cannot."

"Yes, you can. I have seen the power you wield—"

"I don't know any healing spells, Thor!" he roared, bestowing a glare on his brother. "They never…they never stuck. I can't heal anyone. I'm too, too chaotic for restoration magic. You have to be a certain type of person for white magic. I am not one of them."

Thor's brows furrowed once more. "Why not?"

His eyes flashed with indignation. "I don't know why you must ask so many questions, but we were raised alongside each other. I've spent my whole life with you. You should know by now what I am. White magic requires a soul-level innocence I lost long ago. Healing others comes from the goodness of one's essence. Again, I'm a master of chaos here, so, no, I can't heal her. I'm useless."

Thor set his jaw. "You are not useless; there is just something you have yet to learn. But if anyone can overcome what is deemed impossible, I know it is you. Because my brother has never allowed impossible to stand in his way. Nor has my brother ever backed down from a challenge."

Loki stared at him. Stared at him with a blank expression. Thor truly believed the words he so boldly claimed. Even though he didn't have the slightest inclination on how magic truly worked. There were laws in magic. Laws….

A smile tugged on the far corners of his mouth. Laws were made to be broken, and he was the perfect one to defy them. Thor knew this, hence his encouraging statements. He supposed white magic could be in the realm of possibility for him. The thought of magical anarchy relaxed him a bit.

But something changed. Loki blinked. Something in this scene was missing. He glanced across the still-dancing grass. Realization washing over him. Shallow breaths no longer brushed the hairs along his neck. "Aura?" He tilted her head away from him. "Aura?"

No response. No moving of her chest or eyelids. No air escaping through her nose or mouth.

He stroked her hair over and over again. "Aura? Please. Please respond to me. I'm not letting you go. You know I'm here for you, don't you? Aura…" Tears splattered onto her pale cheek. "I'm not letting you go. Aura, please hear me. You have to listen to me. I'm here. It's me. I'm here. I've always been here. Please."

Thor summoned his hammer into his hand. Knelt on a knee beside them. "You listen to me, Brother. If you can find us a way home, I have thought of a way I may be of some assistance."

Loki looked up with a stained face. Studied the bulky thunder god then the weapon. "I think…I think I have an idea of what you're planning, but I don't know if I'll let you do it."

"Why not? I am the one who controls my hammer."

"If you kill her…"

"Is she not already dead?"

"Thor, you have exactly one second of life before I kill you."

"Can you find us a way home? Yes or no?

"Yes. The spell has a long casting time, but I think I can—"

"Place the maiden on the ground, lest you desire revitalization, as well."

Loki clutched Aura's body tighter than before. Yes, Thor claimed he could control the power Mjolnir wielded, but he severely doubted this plan. How many battles were started because his brother couldn't maintain control of his actions? Then again, the present Thor was much different than the one he once knew.

His chest rose and fell with several deep yet quick breaths. He looked up and blinked before kissing Aura's forehead. His voice dropped to a whisper. "I promise I'll get us home. Just come back to me." Gently setting her body in the grass, he hesitantly rose. Addressed the other in a rather cold manner. "Do not mess this up. You only have one shot at this."

Thor matched his stare. "As do you. I am not the one I worry for." Gripping Mjolnir's handle, he slowly summoned a growing field of energy.

Determination etched in Loki's face. Green magic swirled around his arms, cultivating in his hands. His eyes imitating the glow. Mouth moving with a silent incantation.

Under his brother's watchful gaze, the blond warrior held his hammer over Aura's chest. His jaw set. Released a short burst of electricity.

The light elf's body jolted then relaxed. But there was no other response.

Loki's gaze shifted. "Was it successful?"

Thor shook his head. "Nay." He dropped to both knees. Placed Mjolnir on her chest.

"Thor…"

"I am in control of my hammer. Fear not and focus on your own task." Resting his hand on the opposite face of the weapon, he inhaled a deep breath. Discharged a stronger blast.

Aura's body convulsed again before settling back in the grass.

Thor looked up. Eyebrows knitting, he shook his head.

Loki lowered an arm. The rune magic surrounding it faded.

The thunder god pushed himself on his feet. A new purpose in his expression. He pointed Mjolnir at Loki. "Do not stop with your spell." His hammer thrust into the sky.

Clouds formed in the empty sky.

"Thor!"

"Stay on your task, and I will stay on mine. I am in control of my hammer! Place your trust in me."

Thunder echoed over the land.

Loki released a small cry of helpless rage. Held out his arms and began his incantation again with newfound vigor.

A bolt of lightning streaked down into the waiting Mjolnir.

Thor unleashed his own battle cry as he directed the lightning through his body and out his other hand, the electricity arcing into the maiden on the ground.

Aura's back arched with the flowing energy. Her eyes snapped wide. Gasping for air, she jolted into a sitting position.

Loki paused.

"Continue, brother. We must return home." Thor quickly knelt once more. Removing his cape and wrapping it around the trembling girl. Slid his arms around her shoulders and under her legs. Carefully lifted her as he rose.

Her eyes fluttered. Her voice hoarse. "Loki…"

"Nay. I am Thor."

Aura grimaced. "Where…"

"He is creating a passage home." Thor's gaze lifted.

The mischief god swallowed, but he didn't stop his spell. He couldn't believe it worked. In all reality, it probably shouldn't have, but it did. His brother was either crazy or a genius. Most likely a little bit of both. Regardless, Aura was alive, and that was all that mattered.

"Will Heimdall know we are coming?"

"We've been hidden from him since I first teleported us. Let me concentrate."

Thor nodded. Looked around before focusing on the girl in his grasp. He frowned at her ragged breathing. However, he stayed quiet.

Incantation complete, Loki clapped a hand on his brother's arm. His expression softened when his vision rested on Aura. A surge of magic released from him as he uttered the final phrase with gumption.

The green magic pulsed, shuddered. It swarmed out and around before enveloping the trio. Faint runes flickering. Swirling until it transported the group between Realms. The magic faded, revealing a well-lit, well-furnished cavern.

Loki dropped to one knee. Sweat trickled down his temples. He held up a hand before Thor could react. "I have expelled a lot of magic today. I'll be fine." But he held onto the corner of a simple desk for support. His eyes squeezed shut. Unsure if this would work. _Mother_ , he mentally called, _I know you can find us. We need your help. Please, Mother. Find us._

A few seconds passed.

Delicate swirls of gold magic revealed Asgard's queen. Her eyes immediately searching the grand cave, face filled with hope and fear.

Thor offered an unconscious body. "Can you save her?"

Frigga stared at Aura. Blinked and seemingly snapped herself back into the present. Ethereal energy left her fingertips, and she hovered her hand over the once servant girl. Allowed a few moments of concentration. "She is stable for the time being. However, she must be taken to the healing ward for further investigation. Her trauma is severe."

The older son nodded. "Thank you, Mother."

The queen's unrelenting gaze relocated.

Loki held his breath as he pushed himself to his feet. His voice barely above a whisper. "Hello, Mother."

She temporarily remained frozen. Tears brimming, she rushed him. Holding him in a tight embrace and smoothing back his hair. "Oh, my son. I thought we lost you." Her voice cracked. "I thought I lost you."

He melted into her, burying his head in her neck. "I'm so sorry. I didn't, I didn't think—"

"No, you didn't think." Frigga took his face in both hands and held him back for her scrutinization. "You are my son, but much has changed."

"I-I know. I want to tell you everything, I do, but can we care for Aura first?"

"Yes. Yes, we will." She kissed his forehead. Took Thor's face and repeated the display of affection. "Come. Follow me in single file, and I will keep you hidden from all eyes." She effortlessly waved a hand, and those following her turned invisible. Teleported them inside the main fortress.

The Queen of Asgard maintained her usual demeanor through the halls of the golden palace. Maintained a calm, regal pace as she approached the healing ward. Pleasantly smiling at all who acknowledged her.

Eir, the head healer approached when they entered the ward. Bowed. "Ah, my queen. How may I serve you today?"

She waved away the formalities. "Are any chambers free? I've discovered quite a bit of research and require one to myself for some time."

"Of course, my lady. Choose whichever one you like. None are occupied at the moment. Tis a quiet day in the palace."

"Thank you, dear." Frigga led her band of invisible followers into an empty chamber. Magically sealed it shut before releasing the invisibility. "Place her on the table. I'll start the soul forge."

Thor followed her instructions. Backed away and crossed his arms.

Loki took one of Aura's hands and rubbed the back of it with a thumb. "This is my fault."

Frigga glanced up from the appearing magic. "How?"

"If I never declared my love for her in the first place, she would've never been banished."

She stopped and straightened. "Are you sorry for loving her in the first place?"

"No. No, I have no regrets loving her."

"Then do not apologize. Did you inflict these wounds upon her?"

"No. But I left her with incompetent—"

"You have nothing to apologize for. While we're on the subject, though, tell me what happened after you left Asgard."

Loki sighed. His gaze trained on Aura so he wouldn't have to meet his mother's stare. "I…I let go. I fell into space. Honestly, I was prepared to die."

Thor looked up.

"It felt like an eternity, but I was finally picked up by a warship. Thanos's warship."

Frigga sucked in a breath. "I know what that monster is capable of and what he seeks. What did he have you do for his despicable plans?"

Loki continued focusing on Aura. "He tortured me for a long time. Thought he could break me, but he underestimated my willpower. It took an Infinity Stone for him to influence me enough, but he still didn't have full control. Although, it played up my worst traits, I will admit. He sent me to Midgard for the tesseract. Originally, my plan was warning the Midgardians about his impending threat, but when I saw they imprisoned Aura, I…well, my plans changed."

Thor's voice turned matter-of-fact. "He released an invasion which decimated one of their prominent cities. I am most certain the Midgardians are fighting the chitauri that escaped to other continents. The chitauri are cut off from their source and will most likely engage in blind bloodshed until destroyed."

Loki glared at his brother.

Frigga slowly nodded. "I'm not sure if an invasion was an appropriate response, but I do understand your motivation behind it. Sweet little Aura was in prison? That explains my initial read on her. What reason would they have for imprisoning her?"

"Barbaric experimentation, I'm sure. She wasn't fully aware when I found her. She thought me an illusion at first, lashed out and tried burning me. She fought me for a long time before accepting I was real. Honestly, she may still think me fake. I swear they did something to her, but she claimed she wanted the treatment? I'm not sure what to make of it."

The queen's nostrils flared with a deep breath as she continued working the forge. "Such mental damage? Well. I hate saying it, but there's not much I can do about that until she wakes up and is cognizant."

The thunder god's weight shifted. "What will Father do if he sees her in Asgard again? Is it true he banished her to begin with? He is the one who began all this?"

A green glow emanated from Loki's eyes. "I know what I'll do to him if he dares looking at her—"

Frigga held up a hand to silence his anger. Addressed Thor. "It is true your father banished her. He does that often with servants who fall out of his…temperamental favor."

Thor blinked and furrowed his brows. "Why? What's wrong with the servants?"

"He deems them beneath us. Even though they're not. I saved as many as I could, but he found a way to continue doing it without my knowledge. I do not like that he knows of ways of hiding things from me. That takes great magic."

Loki lifted his head. "I will show him great magic."

Her eyes burned with a mother's ire. "You of all people know the strength of Gungnir. And it is only because Odin sits on the throne that many enemies are held at bay, including Thanos. Odin may be many things, but he is powerful above all else."

He straightened, though his hand remained clasped around Aura's. "He deserves to die for what he did. Above all else."

Frigga matched his stance, her voice more commanding than his. "You will control your wrath. There are many things I desiring doing unto him, and none of them include making love, but I have left him on the throne for a reason. If you kill him now, you will destroy many things I've worked too hard and too long to build."

Loki searched her. Nostrils flaring, he broke eye contact first.

"What do you say to your mother?"

He glanced at her. Looked away again. "Very well."

"Good." The queen settled. "When the time is right, I will look the other way. But until then, I have to at least defend his life. Even if it's only so Asgard may live."

Thor mused. "Why do you not sit on the throne, Mother? Are you not just as powerful as he?"

Frigga smiled. "Perhaps I am. Perhaps I'm more powerful. But the fact remains. If Odin dies, the throne falls to the eldest son as the successor, not me. I'm technically not Asgardian."

He frowned. "Why must it fall on me? You are the queen; you can change the laws. You are far more than capable. I dare say more qualified than any of us."

Loki nodded. "You'd be a far wiser ruler than Odin."

She checked the readings of the soul forge then beckoned for her pair of sons. Hugged them both as tightly as she could. "I appreciate the flattery, but I do prefer staying behind the scenes. It allows me to perform more…delicate tasks." She winked at them when she released them.

The raven-haired prince returned at his place by Aura's side. Tucked strands of hair behind her ears. "Will she be okay?"

"Of course, dear. She's under my care. I'm not healing her all at once because it seems she was nursing that torso wound for some time. Her blood loss was significant. Not to mention the psychological damage she's suffered. I do see she finally found her Muspelheim heritage."

"Yes, she did. Her personality changed when she occupied that form. The complete opposite of how she normally acts. Will this be a normal occurrence for her when she shifts?"

Frigga chuckled. "Given her mother? Yes."

"Who's her mother?"

"Sinmara."

Thor's brows furrowed again. "Who is Sinmara?"

Loki stiffened. His emerald eyes wide. "Surtur's wife."

His eyes widened in turn. "Surtur has a wife? I did not know a woman would marry someone such a him."

A smirk graced the queen's face. "Not many know of Sinmara. She spends little time in Muspelheim or with Surtur. She's also not much for loyalty and has had an affair with everybody who holds positions of power. Even Odin, once or twice. It's why she dropped Aura off at our palace doors. She thought her his child."

The brothers glanced at each other.

"I can assure you, she's not. Her father is a light elf of Alfheim, though I have yet to figure out who. The light elves have a slightly different political system than Asgard, so he would be quite a prominent leader for her piqued interest."

Loki released an exhale. He honestly didn't know what he would've done with information of Aura being Odin's daughter. Sinmara as her mother was already enough to take in. Did Sinmara know her grown child existed? Did Surtur know of Aura? His heart stopped. What would Surtur do with that information? He blinked away the possibilities. "I do have a concern."

Frigga faced him. "What is it?"

"When we were in New York, I teleported Aura, Thor, and I to a different location on Midgard. Somehow, I feel it damaged Aura further. S-she, she died. Thor resuscitated her with Mjolnir. It's absurd, but it worked."

Thor puffed out his chest. "I told you. I possess control of my hammer."

"I do thank you, Brother. But I feel as though I did something wrong with the teleportation. Did her wound make it affect her so severely this time? I've teleported her before, and it's never been a problem."

Frigga placed a hand on the side of his face. "As much as I wish I could say it's not your fault, it somewhat is. There's something you should remember from your studies of fire giants."

Loki searched her. His mind racking through the various texts he read.

"Despite how powerful they can be, strong magic can cause a drain on them if they're not prepared. She was imprisoned for who knows how long on Midgard. We don't know what they did to her. If her mind was as gone as you say it was, and if she already had this wound, your magic drained her. It's as simple as that." She rested her hands on his shoulders. "You are an extremely powerful magic user. From what I've gathered, you both were mentally unstable at the time. Her weakened state couldn't keep up."

He set his jaw and looked down. This was something he should've remembered. Something he should've been aware of from the very beginning. He long had his suspicions of Aura's heritage. Hence his devotion into studying the fire giants. He should've realized.

No matter how preoccupied he became with destroying a Realm. No matter how preoccupied he became with saving her. He should've remembered. But no. His wrath consumed him, and he willingly allowed it. It drove his cognitive thinking out the wayside. It caused her, caused her death.

He caused her death.

"Loki, look at me."

His eyes fluttered.

"Look at your mother when she speaks to you."

Loki found her gaze. His expression betraying his true exhaustion.

Frigga cupped his face in both hands. "Do not dwell on what could have been. What happened is what happened. All three of you are safe. All three of you are in Asgard. All three of you are with me. If you dare think I'm going to let anyone take any of you away from me again, I will smite you myself, understand?"

He nodded.

"You have utilized much more magic than you should be capable of. You've drained yourself. Never trust the questioning thoughts of fatigue. They will only lead you astray. Aura is alive and under my care. Rest and regain your strength. Regain your right mind. Then we will speak more on sensitive matters, yes?"

Loki simply nodded some more.

Her breath caught, and she wiped at her eyes.

"Mother?"

She smiled through her happy cries. "Everything is alright. I just…I missed you so much."

He swallowed. Unable to stop his own tears. "I missed you, too." Wrapping his arms around her, he buried himself in her.

Frigga clutched him. Afraid he might disappear once again. Kissing the top of his head multiple times. "My son." Then she held out a hand for Thor.

The thunder god joined the hug. "Our family is whole once more."

"Yes, my son." She kissed his head. Held on to them both much longer than necessary, but no one showed signs of releasing. "No one will take either of you away from me again. I will burn the entirety of the universe before I allow either of you to be taken from me."

Thor chuckled. "You know you are the one Loki takes after, aye, Mother?"

Loki snickered. "You're just a meat head. What would you know?"

"More than you. I knew my hammer trick would work."

"That wasn't a trick. And it could've very well killed her."

"Aye, but she was already dead."

"I meant you could've rendered her unable for revival."

"I told you I was in control of my hammer."

"Your hammer has a name. At least I know that."

"You do not understand my ways of magic with it."

"You're not magical, Thor. You're only dumb luck."

"If you do not retract your words, I will—"

"That is quite enough," Frigga reprimanded, grabbing both of their ears. "I will not brook this bickering while poor Aura rests."

"Mother," the pair of men whined in unison.

She displayed a devilish grin before releasing them. "Our family is whole once more."


End file.
